We all make Mistakes
by DarkPhoenix168
Summary: After the demon suddenly leaves her, Rin wants nothing to do with Sesshomaru, but the son Sesshomaru never knew he had might have something to say about it.
1. Chapter 1

**So um...yeah...came up with this awhile ago, sorry for not updating other stories, I'm working on them I swear, but I also want to get my Yullen fans something too so I don't know how it's going to work...**

**Anywho, enjoy and review please ^^**

* * *

A loud buzzing echoed through the room, a soft groan emanating from the lips as the slim young woman as she rolled over to press the snooze button on the alarm clock, her delicate hands retracting to the warmth of the sheets after a moment, her body rolling over to touch the other side of the bed, her heart wincing slightly at the emptiness. It wasn't a huge surprise that there was no other occupant on the mattress with her, there hadn't been one for five years, not since he had walked out on her.

Rin sighed slightly as her memories decided to torture her once more, memories of her standing in the kitchen, a smile on her face after receiving what was probably the best news of her life from the doctor, the shutting of the door alerting her to her demon lover, her dark brown eyes bright as she turned from the tomato sauce she was stirring to greet him, his lean form having moved from the front door to the kitchen doorframe, his amber eyes refusing to meet hers, no matter how often she called his name.

It was then he decided to tell her that he was moving out and when she questioned him, the only thing he told her was that their relationship was over and, without another word to her or an apology, he left her standing in the hallway, tears falling down her cheeks before she leaned against the wall for support, her lithe form slipping down the wall to collapse onto the floor, her pleads and questions unanswered. For the next several days, she tried to call him, get in touch by any means necessary but his cell phone number had changed and the assistant she reached wouldn't connect her to him short of driving to his parents and banging on their door, he had chosen to sever their bond entirely.

Her calls went from daily to weekly to monthly and then she finally stopped altogether, her last one being a little under eighteen months, finally accepting the demon's rejection and starting the entire transition of moving on with her life with the one good thing Sesshomaru had left her with.

"Mommy?"

A soft smile slipping on her lips at the timid voice, her head turning to peek out at the small boy standing by the edge of her bed, his amber eyes looking at her while the dog ears twitched on the top of his head, his tiny hand reached out to poke her back.

"Good morning Akihiko," Rin murmured smiling, "let mommy sleep for a few more minutes, okay?"

"Nooo," the boy whined as she rolled over, his feet taking him to the other side of her bed to look at his mother's closed eyes, "get up! I wanna eat breakfast with you!"

"Few more minutes," Rin murmured, rolling back over to her other side, the pattering of the boy's feet following her, her smile unmoveable as the child giggled at the game they played every Saturday morning.

It only took a few more tossing and turnings before she opened her eyes fully to look at him, her smile still as kind and loving.

"So you think I should get up?" she sighed softly at her boy who nodded vigorously, his smile wide, "well," she continued, "I'm not the only one in bed you know."

"Huh? Yes you are, I'm not."

"Oh yes you are!" Rin teased, her hands shooting out to grab her child, the boy squealing as she began tickling him, Rin laughing along with the little boy, the squirming figure placed onto her comforter, the boy kicking his socked feet in the air.

"Okay," she smiled at him once he had calmed down, "so, we'll have breakfast and then we'll get dressed and then…"

"We're going shopping?"

"Yes we are!" she smiled at him, her lips raining kisses on his forehead and nose, "you are such a smart boy you know that!"

"You tell me every day," he smiled bashfully, a dusting of blush across his nose and cheeks, Rin thankful that he had not inherited his father's pride, she was sure the boy would never stop boasting his intelligence.

"Well it's true," she smiled at him, her finger playing with his white hair, her thickness, his colour, "now, what do you want for breakfast?"

"Cereal and juice?"

"Then cereal and juice it is," Rin announced, picking him up under the arms and putting him back down on the carpeted floor, her own bare feet touching down lightly after him, her white robe slipped around her arms and shoulders, tied at the waist while she followed her excited boy down for their shared breakfast, stopping shortly at the door for her paper.

The cereal rattled in the bowl before Rin poured milk into it, the glass of orange juice placed beside it in front of the little boy, his small spoon in his tight fist as she returned to her steeping tea, the steaming mug taken as she took her place beside her son at the table, the paper flipped open as she simultaneously read the stories and listened to her boy chatting between mouthfuls.

Her smile faltered at the sight of the article in the business section, the picture of an official looking demon staring back at her with a piercing gaze, his marked cheeks and forehead all too heart wrenchingly familiar to her, his hair still immaculate and as long as she remembered it.

"Mommy?"

Rin looked up at her son, his amber eyes watchful and attentive while she closed the paper swiftly and tried to force her smile back on.

"Yes sweetie, what is it?" she asked softly, his head tilted in curiosity.

"Is anything wrong?"

"Oh no," she murmured, simultaneously admiring and hating the boy's quality of reading people, "nothing honey; are you done with breakfast?"

He nodded, Rin looking over at the milk filled bowl, a few circular cereal pieces left over while his glass held remnants of orange pulp up the side of the clear plastic.

"Alright then," she smiled, standing up to pick up his dishes, the paper tossed into the recycling bin, "you go get dressed and meet me by the door, I'll be fast okay?"

The eared head nodded as his mother's back was turned to the sink, his feet soft and silent and he moved towards the bin, his hands reaching for the paper his mother had thrown away, the pages shuffled as silently before he drew out the section with the small picture of the demon peeking out, the paper shoved under his shirt while he made his way out of the kitchen and to his bedroom, finally looking at the paper when the door was shut. He always noticed his mother stopped smiling whenever she read or saw something in the newspaper and since reading was difficult for him, pictures were all he had to go by.

Amber eyes stared back at the gray ones, the photo offering him no colour about the demon but he remembered that they were the same colour as his own; he had seen coloured photos of him before. Swiftly, he moved to pull his shoe box out from under his bed, the lid pulled off to reveal a stack of papers with pictures of the same man or others that had seemed to make his mother sad, all folded carefully since his mother never let him have scissors, the most recent folded and stacked on top of the rest, the box slid under his bed before he walked to his dresser, Rin having put three outfits on the bottom for him the night before.

"Akihiko?"

"Coming mommy!" he called as he adjusted his shirt and ran out of his room to meet his parent, the woman standing by the door waiting patiently for him, a laugh slipping from her lips at the sight of him, his eyebrows knitting in confusion, "what is it?"

"Come here," she told him softly, kneeling down to him, her hands grabbing his shirt and pulling it off him, flipping the blue material inside out, the boy blushing at the realization of his mistake.

"Sorry," he mumbled while his mother kissed the top of his head,

"It's okay," she whispered, putting the shirt on him before his coat, "we all make mistakes."

* * *

"Now," Rin murmured, her fingers dancing across the coat hangers, "which colour do you want?"

"Blue!"

"Blue?" the young woman asked smiling, "you have plenty of blue! What about red? Or a nice yellow, that'll go lovely with your eyes."

The little boy pouted but complied with his mother all the same, his amber eyes wandering around the store across the racks of clothes, some for men, women, and children but all organized into sections. His mother began looking through jeans, commenting on how fast he grew while his mind wandered, his eyes lingering on a line of woolen black coats akin to the ones businessmen often wore in the winter.

"Akihiko?"

The boy turned back to his mother her brown eyes following his to the coats before she looked back at him.

"Can you try these on please?" she asked, guiding him to the changing rooms, the white door opening and the little boy slipping inside, his mother handing him the clothes, asking him is he wanted her to come in with him, at the shake of his head she told him she had to grab one more thing and not to let anyone but her come in.

The boy was left to himself, not that he minded terribly, he knew his mother would be fast and she never left him alone for long. Indeed, her soft knocks echoed on the door moments sooner and her voice called out to him. Without a word, Akihiko let his mother in, the woman smiling down at him as she locked the door behind her, her own coat and handbag placed on the stool made for sitting.

"Okay," she murmured clapping her hands, "let's see what you look like."

The boy tried on several pairs of clothes, yellow shirts, sweaters, pants, and a red polo before he was dressed in his own clothes and ready to leave, the clothes he liked and fit into stacked separately from the others.

"One more thing," Rin told him, bending over to grab underneath her coat, "close your eyes okay, it's a surprise."

The boy nodded and squeezed his eyes shut, his mother taking his arms and slipping something over his arms, her hands adjusting something over his chest.

"Okay," she sighed, "done! You can look now!"

Akihiko opened his amber eyes and turned to the mirror, his mouth slacking in surprise.

"Mommy?"

Rin just smiled down at him as she adjusted the black coat he had been eyeing earlier, the large black buttons off to the left side while the hem reached his knees, the collar folded over the front in a professional manner, the sleeves slightly too long for him.

"It's a little big," she murmured, looking at him in the mirror, "but I hope this means you'll get more than one winter out of it."

"But-"

"You were looking at them right?" she asked, her eyes looking over her son with softness, her heartstrings tugged at how much he reminded her of his father, memories of her buttoning his cost as he prepared for a morning meeting, "you're not the only one who can read signs."

"So…you want to get his for me?" the boy asked as she nodded, "but, isn't it expensive?"

Rin giggled, "let mommy worry about that okay? Besides, it's no more expensive than any other winter coat. So," she announced, her eyes looking down at the boy, "is this a yes or a no?"

The boy raised his sleeve covered hand to look down at it, his cheeks red once more.

"Yes?" he half-asked, eyes hopeful as he looked up at his mother, her smile kind as she began undoing the buttons on his coat.

"Alright then," she murmured, "I'll put it on the yes pile and we'll go wander the mall a little, maybe get a little popcorn and stop by that new jungle gym?"

The boy seemed to brighten at the thought of a snack and play time, his ears perking up and Rin gathered both piles of clothes in her arms, the ones he didn't want handed to the woman behind her desk, the elderly lady smiling down at her little boy, Akihiko politely smiling back, Rin filled with pride at the sight of her polite child, his kindness unwavering to everyone he met, the boy resembling the man she fell in love with all those years ago, the good memories out weighing the bad for once in a long time.

* * *

"Can we just go?"

Kagome turned to InuYasha, his hands in his pockets as he sighed dramatically, her own eyes narrowing.

"No! I want to grab a new fall coat and these are on sale!"

"But fall's almost over! You'd never get to wear it!" the half-demon protested as Kagome thumbed through the sale rack, "besides, I run a company with my brother, they don't _need _to be on sale!"

The dark blue eyes glared at him as she turned around, "InuYasha, just shut up."

The man grumbled but took her advice, his eyes sulking as he looked around the store wondering exactly how he was going to slip out of all this mess, his inhales deep as he steadied himself, his nose flaring slightly, pausing when he caught the scent of someone familiar.

"Oh, this red one's nice but so is the green one… InuYasha, what do you think-InuYasha?"

Her eyes narrowed as her husband began looking through the racks at people, the confusion on her face matching his.

"InuYasha," she asked, "_what _are you doing?"

"I'm looking for someone," he murmured, moving around the masses of clothes, "where's the nearest checkout?"

"There are a few around-why?"

"Cause," he explained slowly, "I'm catching someone's scent that I haven't seen in years."

"Who?"

His amber eyes looked over at her, pausing before revealing, "Rin."

Kagome seemed to freeze at the name, her eyes widening as she walked over to the lines of coats InuYasha was looking around for the woman, the half demon worried that he might have said the wrong thing to her; five years ago after his brother left her, Rin had broken off all contact with them after a few phone calls to them in desperation, the pair trying their best to help the two back together but after the reason why was released, Rin stopped talking to them all together even moved without telling them where she was going too.

"So," Kagome whispered, "can you see her?"

"Not yet no," he murmured back, moving throughout the racks, Kagome following him softly, her body stopping altogether when she walked into her husband.

"InuYasha!" she hissed turning to look at the half-demon's face, his eyes wide with shock, Kagome following his line of sight to see a young black-haired woman talking to the sales person, her face when she turned slightly was unmistakeable. "Rin-" her words were cut off by a hand over her mouth, InuYasha telling her to keep quiet, her eyes in confusion.

"Shh," he whispered after releasing her, "I get that she's your friend that you haven't seen in years, but … not right now okay?"

"Why not?"

"Because," InuYasha murmured looking fervently at the young woman, "if that's Rin, then who's the kid next to her?"

Kagome looked at his to Rin, her eyes catching sight of a small boy looking up at the counter to the young woman, his ears perched on the top of his head white as his hair were similar to her own husband's.

"I'm the only Inu half-demon I know," InuYasha whispered to her shocked face, her wide blue eyes staring back at him, "that kid is obviously one too, he smells like it."

"So," Kagome murmured quietly, "if…she's his mother…than the father has to be…"

Her voice trailed off while InuYasha nodded, their thoughts on the same page, InuYasha's hand digging around in his pocket for his phone, Kagome stopping him.

"What are you doing!?" she hissed at him, InuYasha looking at her as though she were insane.

"What do you think?" he snapped back, "I'm calling my brother to inform him of his kid!"

"You can't do that!" Kagome snapped, "we don't even know if that's his kid!"

"How many other dog demons do you think she's been with!?" InuYasha retorted, "besides, the kid looks old enough to be no one else's _but _his. We know Rin! She wouldn't cheat on my brother and after the way he left her, I have my doubts she'd be running into the arms of _another _dog demon, whether to spite him or she had a thing for them it doesn't matter, she wouldn't do that!"

"Well don't call him!" the young woman snapped, "we don't know how he'd react to this. Let's just find a way to work this out."

"So what do you suggest?" InuYasha's eyes narrowed, "we tail her?"

"That sounds like a great idea!" Kagome suddenly lit up, her hand gripping on his arm to pull the half-demon towards the exit, the young woman and her son kept in their vision, InuYasha spluttering and protesting the entire time.

"B-But, we'll look like stalkers or-or-"

"Don't you want to see Rin again?" Kagome asked her husband, "don't you want to see your _nephew_!"

"If it is my nephew!" the dog demon retorted, "besides, what if my brother just hurts her again?"

"He won't!" the young woman told him excitedly.

"Yeah, we thought that the first time remember?" InuYasha told her pulling the young woman after finally getting his footing back, "look, I'll agree that it is…suspicious that she has a child that looked like it could be his and that…yes, I think it _is _his but," he took in a deep breath, "if Sesshomaru finds out about him I don't know how he'll take it but I can guarantee Rin won't take it well, she might…refuse him access to his own son!"

"Okay," Kagome conceded, her hands held up, "how about this? We get back on good terms with Rin and we find a way to interweave their lives back together, _without _psychologically damaging the child."

"Deal," InuYasha sighed after a minute, "but let's just make sure it's actually Sesshomaru's kid we're dealing with, I don't want to give the poor kid hope only to dash it."

"Fine by me," the young woman agree, "though you were the one who pointed out it couldn't be anyone else's; I just hope Rin's heart is healed enough to accept forgiveness."

"After what Sesshomaru did to her," InuYasha murmured, "it must kill her to see her _own_ kid grow up and resemble him, it'll be like pouring salt on the wounds when and if we start talking to her again."

"So I'll take that as an I don't think so," Kagome muttered sadly, her eyes glued to the retreating back and dog ears, her own heart sore as she thought of a way to help all parties involved without causing too much damage to everyone.

The two remained silent as they followed Rin around to a shoe store, the boy trying on several pairs of shoes before they settled on a blue pair of winter boots, the young woman then taking the boy to the popcorn stand before she took the child to the indoor play structure, her feet resting as the young woman sat on the bench, her eyes watchful as the child ran around, laughing and waving to his mother, Kagome and InuYasha watching as she smiled and waved back. It plucked at the Kagome's heartstrings to watch Rin's smile falter when her boy wasn't looking, knowing the reason.

"So," InuYasha started, his face almost as somber looking as Kagome's "still think it might not be his kid?"

"No, it's defiantly his kid," Kagome sighed, her arms crossing over the back of the bench, her chin resting in her arms, "she just…looks so happy and yet so sad at the same time."

"He reminds her of him," the half-demon interjected, "I would be too."

"I still want them back together," the young woman announced, sitting up, "I think they were perfect together and had that whole fiancée scandal not come up, I'm sure they'd still be together."

"They would be," InuYasha agreed, "but it happened and I think she's still hurting from that and now, on top of everything, she's got a little boy, _his _little boy."

"And that's more than enough of a reason for them to get back together," Kagome pointed out, watching as the little boy ran towards her, her arms outstretched as she hugged him tightly, her lips kissing his cheek, "at least let's give it a try."

Her husband sighed, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand, "alright," he conceded, "for their little kid, let's give it a chance."

* * *

**AN - the name "Akihiko" means bright prince, I thought it was befitting**


	2. Chapter 2

**Soo...yeah, here's another update, I'm working on other stories, but it's slow going**

**AN - I don't own InuYasha**

* * *

The dark-haired beauty moaned beneath her demon lover, her lust-filled brown eyes fluttering open and shut as she writhed beneath the regal dog demon, his mouth and hands worshiping her with tenderness and care, his long nails raking over her soft alabaster flesh.

"Se-Sesshomaru," the slender woman breathed quietly, her hands unclutching from the silken bed sheets to slide over his muscled shoulders, her nails gripping his own skin, "_hah."_

"Rin," the demon murmured against her body, her nude form arching into his, "my Rin."

"_Ah!" _the young woman moaned as his hands slipped between the two of them and began teasing her sex, his fingers toying with her wetness as the scent of her arousal drove his own desire for her further.

His lips met hers in heated passion, the back of his throat moaning in delight at her taste, her response entirely and perfectly her own. Her hands slid up and down his sides, her fingers tracing his abdomen and chest before her nails resumed dragging down his back, the demon sighing against the crook of her neck in contentment. Steady hands slipped under her knees, Rin complying with ease, her excitement heightened at the mere thought.

"Se-Sesshomaru," the young woman murmured softly, her brown eyes looking up at him with so much care it could make his heart stop.

"What is it, my Rin?" he murmured softly, his hands cupping her cheeks.

"I…I…love…"

A shrill ring broke though the silence of the morning, amber eyes flinging open at the sound, his chest heaving as he panted, his face in the pillow as he looked around, his body shuffling around under the sheets as he reached for his cell phone, a shocked groan slipping past his lips as his engorged member rubbed against the fabric of his sleeping pants.

"Sesshomaru…speaking," he managed to get out once the phone was in his hand, his mind trying to focus on something other than his straining erection.

"Good morning Sesshomaru," his father's voice cut through the phone, "I'm sorry to wake you, but the meeting's been bumped up to eight instead of ten, can you still make it?"

"Yes-Yes I can," the demon murmured, his hand rubbing his forehead in an attempt to calm his body, "I'll be there soon."

"Great, see you then."

The line went dead after his father hung up, the grown dog demon tossing the phone to his bedside table, another groan slipping past his lips as he rubbed against his member, his body making for the shower, his mind focusing on a cold one. The icy jets hit him, his body shivering as he ran a hand through his hair before he rested his forearm on the tiled wall, his other hand grasping his engorged member, gentle strokes as he tried to relieve himself from his dream.

It wasn't the first time he had dreamed of Rin in that fashion and he knew it wouldn't be the last; since their break-up, he had never had another woman share his bed, his memories of Rin too strong and his pain too great. The other times he had dreamt of her she had either been happy and smiling, her eyes bright and kind before she ran over to him, her arms around his waist before the dream would take a turn for the worst, her smile replaced with pearls of tears that rolled down her face as she cried, her legs giving out and collapsing to the ground sobbing uncontrollably.

"R-Rin," he groaned as he finally relieved himself, spilling his seen in his hand, his breath panting as he leaned against the shower, his throat forcing down a lump that had formed as he thought about her openly for the first time in a long time, his usual thought forced onto work and other occupying things other than the largest mistake of his life.

Sighing, the demon slipped out of the shower, his lower body covered in a fluffy white towel before he moved over to the mirror, his fingers grabbing his toothbrush and paste before he tried to focus on the day ahead, his business meetings and deals hoping for a distraction from his thoughts of her. Five years ago, his mother had called him to talk about an arranged marriage, something the demon flat out refused, his body standing from the table they shared at the restraint, his exit halted by what she told him.

Her blunt statement was that either he leave her or her life would be made a living hell, tabloids, paparazzi, and his fiancée's family would hound her daily, neither one of them caring for her feelings. The idea in his head was to leave and figure the problem out quietly, no tabloids, no papers, everything private and nothing public; if Rin never found out, he thought everything would be fine, though he would need to apologize for what he had done. When the story was going to go public, he needed to leave her, tell her the relationship was over, figuring that a clean break would be easier for her to handle. He told himself as he left her that it was for her own good, that she would be better off without him, the lies he spun not even convincing himself as he tried not to run back to her, to hold her and comfort her.

His ride arrived at the front doors of his building, the ride from his penthouse swift and quiet, the paper he flipped through showing nothing of interest to him and the occupants on the streets milling around only reminded him of what he had lost. No one spoke to the demon as he slipped though the company's doors, his fingers pressing the top button, the elevator taking him smoothly to the top floor, his face solemn as he moved towards the doors of his own offices, the dark coat he wore slid off his shoulders and placed on a coat hook by his office door.

"Hey, Sesshomaru."

The dog demon turned to see his bother poking his head in the office doors, his long white hair falling over his shoulders as he looked over at his brother.

"Good morning InuYasha," the demon greeted calmly, "are you ready for the meeting?"

"Y-Yeah," his younger stammered softly, "h-how have you been?"

"I've been well," Sesshomaru answered confused, his eyebrow raised, "why do you ask?"

"Just…making conversation," InuYasha pressed, standing awkwardly by the door, "right, I'll see you at the meeting then."

"Okay then…"

"See ya," was the only response the demon received from his half-brother before he ducked away from the office, his elder brother standing there confused.

"That was awkward."

The half-demon jumped about a foot in the air at the sound of his father's baritone, his eyes wide as he whipped around to see his father standing by him, a small smirk on his lips.

"So," the elder pressed, a mug of coffee in his hands, "what's going on?"

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"Come on," the demon smiled, guiding his son away from his eldest son's door, "unlike your brother, I know your tells. I know when you're hiding something and when you're just making pleasantries so out with it, what's going on?"

"Dad," InuYasha sighed, looking around before he followed his father into the elder's own office, the door locked softly behind him before he inhaled deeply, "when Kagome and I went shopping two days ago, we…ran into someone, someone we hadn't seen in years."

"Who?"

"Rin," his son admitted, his amber eyes watching as his father's face morphed into one of shock, his jaw slacking slightly.

"I….uh….see," the demon murmured, "h-how is she?"

InuYasha mulled over how he was going to tell his father everything he saw, though she never married, Rin had been like a member of the family to everyone, she got along with everyone and she fit in easily; the break-up between the two of them hit his family hard.

"S-She seemed good," the half-demon admitted, "we didn't really talk much to be honest."

"I see," InuTaisho nodded, suddenly very interested in his coffee, "that's-that's a good thing."

"Yeah," InuYasha swallowed, "we saw her at the mall and sort of … followed her."

"Why would you do a thing like that?"

"Because," the his youngest son explained, "she…had a kid with her."

"Oh," the demon seemed to deflate at the statement, his shoulders sagging, "well," he swallowed, forcing himself to see the positive, "she deserves a good life, she must be happy."

"I-I don't think so," InuYasha pressed, his lower lip bitten as his father looked at him in confusion, "dad, the kid was an Inu half-demon."

If there was a record for spiting Cuban coffee out of shock, his father had probably just broken it, the half-demon slightly impressed.

"That's pretty expensive coffee dad," the half-demon commented while his father spluttered.

"Wh-What?" the demon asked, confusion in his eyes, "h-how old was the kid?"

"About four give or take?" InuYasha murmured, "i-it looked like it could be _his _kid."

"Y-You mean-" his father gestured to the office on his right, "_Sesshomaru's _child?"

"Well, here," the half-demon handed his father his cell phone, a picture of the young woman hugging a small half-demon already loaded onto it, his father staring at it wide-eyed before he looked up at his son. "Dad," InuYasha murmured, his father still staring at him, "I don't know who else's it could be. We know she'd never cheat on Sesshomaru and after how badly he broke her heart, I have my doubts she'd go back to another."

"I agree," his father sighed, "but…I take it you haven't told your brother yet."

"I don't know how," InuYasha confessed, "I can't just walk in and say "hey, I found your long lost girlfriend and your possible four-year-old son," I don't know how he would take it."

"True" the demon agreed, "but he does need to be told, sooner rather than later."

"Kagome's god an idea," the half-demon started, his father groaning slightly.

"InuYasha," the demon started, "you know I love my daughter-in-law, but sometimes her ideas…"

"Yeah I know," InuYasha defended, "but this one's actually a good idea; she thinks that if she can get back into Rin's life, she could get the kid introduced to Sesshomaru and then Sesshomaru could figure out a way to go back to Rin-"

"And since when do things ever work out that well?" InuTaisho interrupted, "look, even I want the two of them together and I would love more than anything to meet my grandchild but-" his fingers traced the photo on his son's phone, "-but both of them were hurt badly when it happened, I don't want that child hurt either."

"None of us do," his son murmured softly, "that's why we want to keep this as sensitive as possible."

"I see," the father murmured, "we need to discuss this more, _after _the meeting this morning."

"Right," InuYasha agreed, "just…don't tell Sesshomaru yet."

"I wasn't planning on it," InuTaisho smiled softly, his eyes lingering on the photo in the cellphone before he handed it back to his son. "So," he started as he walked over with InuYasha out of his office, "she's got a little boy?"

"Yeah," the half-demon admitted, "he seemed sweet."

"He's her son, he would be; so, what did they do Mr. Stalker?" the demon teased.

The half-demon blushed furiously but decided to tell his father anyway, "she just took him shopping for winter clothes and then bought him popcorn and let him play at the jungle gym. She always watched him, she looked like such a good mother."

"I always thought she'd make a good mother" InuTaisho smiled, "it's good to know that some things never change."

"It was bittersweet," InuYasha admitted, "she looked like she loved him so much but at the same time, it looked like it hurt her."

"I'd still like to meet him," his father murmured softly.

"Yeah," InuYasha smiled, his own amber eyes lingering on the picture before he turned it off and made to his office, "me too."

* * *

**Tee hee ^^**


	3. Chapter 3

**So yeah... I need to update the rest of my stories, sorry bout all that.**

**Enjoy! ^^**

* * *

The morning sun was bright over the houses, the sky a vibrant periwinkle blue with only a few cotton ball clouds rolling past it, the fall weather unusually warm for the late season, the light streamed through the large windows of Rin's home, the house warmed by the simple beam of sunlight. The young woman sat on her knees as she gently tended to her orchids, he lips smiling softly while her son calmly sat beside her, his eyes on the white and purple veined flower, his fingers fidgeted over a thin book.

"Alright," Rin murmured softly, standing from her plants, "are you ready Akihiko?"

The boy said nothing but nodded, his lips forming into a half-pout and his ears withering against his head while he followed his mother to the large leather chair, the child sitting in her lap, the book opened to the first page, his mother pointing at the words on the page, her soft brown eyes looking at her son while her dark locks gently slipped over her shoulder.

"Okay," the young woman murmured, "now, spell this out for me."

"T…H…E," the half-demon enunciated, his amber eyes following his mother's finger as she nodded to each letter.

"Good now, what's that word?"

"'The'" Akihiko stated while Rin smiled.

"Good, next."

"Um…" the boy shuffled as he looked at the longer, more complicated word before he swallowed thickly, "B…um, I-I?"

"No," Rin corrected him softly, "try again."

"U-Uh-"

"You know this," his mother encouraged, "what other letter looks like a stick when it's lower case?"

"Um… L?"

"That's right," Rin smiled, "now, spell it out again."

This time, both mother and son spoke in unison as they read the letters out, "B…L…A…C…K."

"Good," the young woman smiled, "now, what's the word?"

"B… la.." the boy stopped at the fourth letter, his brow creasing as he struggled.

"Come on honey," Rin told him kindly, her hand rubbing the boy's arm, "I know this is hard for you, but you can do this."

"It's confusing," Akihiko whined softly, "I don't get it."

His mother sighed softly as she rubbed the side of his hair, her face concerned but determined. When her son turned three, he had mastered the Rubik's cube with such ease it impressed everyone, even the boy himself, and he was able to beat almost everyone he met at chess, his mind advanced far beyond his years in every aspect save for one, reading. For some reason, her child avoided books and letters, even when his mother read books to him before bed he would look away from the writing; when asked, the boy stated that he didn't like it, that it confused him, that the letters looked all jumbled together.

Rin decided to take her son to a specialist for testing to see if her suspicions were right and, though Akihiko was nervous about the whole ordeal, he was polite and obedient, listening to what the doctor had to say and did as the man asked, the child allowed to reside in the play area while his mother spoke to the doctor, the elderly gentleman telling her that she had nothing to worry about, that her boy was incredibly gifted but had dyslexia; he then handed her a pamphlet to a private school that catered to gifted children, Rin trying not to show panic as she looked at the cost, half thankful that her son announced that he didn't want to go to a special school, that he wanted to be normal when she told him what the doctor said.

The young woman told her son everything, promising him honesty but avoided questions when he asked about his father, prompting the boy to find creative ways of discovering who the man was, the newspaper clippings he stored a clue that he was on the right path, but he opted for not telling his mother after how sad she appeared whenever she saw the pictures and he mentioned his dad.

"Once more," Rin murmured softly, her fingers on the paper, "come on."

"B-Bl-Blaok?" he tried, his mother shaking her head.

"I'm sorry honey, but that's not the word," she told him as kindly as she could, refusing to discourage the boy and tell him he was wrong, knowing that destroying his confidence was the furthest thing she could do to help him, "see the little space?"

"Yeah?"

"That means that that's an 'C'," Rin informed him softly, her fingers playing with his soft locks, "can you try one more time for me?"

The boy nodded as he looked at the word once more, his eyes narrowing.

"B-Bl-ack?"

"Good job," the young woman smiled, "now, what's the last word?"

"C-A-T," Akihiko spelt out slowly, following the woman's finger.

"Now, what's that word?"

The boy said nothing as he stared at the words, his lips trying to form it while Rin's heart broke at the sight of her son struggling, his brow furrowed in frustration as he willed himself to figure it out, the young woman slightly thankful that he had remnants of Sesshomaru's stubbornness in him but less so that he had his father's ability for detesting anything he wasn't good at, preferring his comfort zone and staying in it.

"I'll give you a hint," Rin murmured, amber eyes looking up at her in confusion, "Meow!"

"Cat!" the boy smiled happily after a minute, his eyes brightening as his confidence filled him once more.

"Good job!" his mother kissed him on the head, "now, put it all together."

"Th-e… bla-ck… c-at," the boy started slowly before his mother moved on to the next line; she'd admit to enabling him, but she refused to let him give up.

"Next."

Akihiko loved his mother dearly for never making him feel inadequate about his disorder, among everything else she did for him, so when he was pushed by her, though a part of him resented her for it, he did not hate her for it.

"Mommy?"

"What is it sweetie?"

"After I finish the page, can we do something together?"

"Like… a game?" the young woman finished for him, her small son nodding hesitantly. "Alright," she smiled, "what would you like to play?"

"Um," the boy thought carefully for a moment, "I dunno."

"Well, finish the next couple words and then tell me what you want to play, okay?"

The boy nodded and turned back to the words, his eyes narrowed as he sucked in deep breaths just like his mother taught him whenever he was frustrated or angered about something, the gentle hands running through his thick locks soothed him, his body resting on her torso.

"Alright, now-"

A sharp knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts, both sets of eyes turning towards the front door. Rin murmured quietly that she would be a minute to her son, the boy left in the leather chair with his hands around the book, his eyes looking curiously at the front door and his mother as she looked through the glass in the door, the expression on her face changing from curiosity to shock as she recognized the person standing on her front step.

"He-Hello Kagome."

The midnight locks turned as her old friend called her name, her smile both wavering and nervous.

"Hello Rin," the young woman greeted, "i-it's uh, been awhile hasn't it."

"Yes it has," the other pressed, "what-uh-what are you doing here?"

"Well," Kagome started, "it's a bit of a long story; may I come in?"

Chocolate eyes darted from her old friend to her little boy still sitting on the seat, his own amber eyes interested and his ears peaked in curiosity. Wordlessly, Rin stepped outside with Kagome, the door shutting softly behind her.

"No," Rin told her softly, her arms crossed over her dark green sweater, "no you may not come in."

"But… won't you get cold?"

"Compared to the cold shoulder you all gave me this weather is absolutely balmy," Rin retorted, her eyes narrowing while her old friend flinched.

"Ah-right," the other mumbled, her black leather gloves wrung in her hands while her gray coat shifted uncomfortably, "Rin, I can explain-"

"I don't wanna hear it," the young woman snapped, "I thought you were my friend!"

"I still want to be-"

"And shutting me out that was, what; you all being considerate!?"

"He asked us too!"

"And if he asked you to jump off a bridge would you!?" Rin asked, fury now boiling in her veins.

"No!" Kagome defended, her stomach churning at the sight of her once sweet and kind friend turned harsh with five years of resentment and anger, not that she blamed her, "no Rin! I begged him to let me tell you, to talk to you! But…but his argument…" she sucked in a deep breath before she pressed on, "he made the argument that you would get hurt if we talked to you again!"

"So a nice clean break from everything I loved was the … _compassionate_ thing to do," the young mother snapped sarcastically, her hands now on her hips.

"It didn't make sense to me either," her old friend whispered, "and I cannot be more sorry about what I did Rin, really, I am truly sorry," the young woman swallowed, tears bloomed in her eyes while Rin's jaw flinched.

"So, for five years, you left me alone and _now _you've decided to come, literally, knocking on my door," the young woman snapped, her dark brown orbs narrowing, "what brought this on, it can't have been out of remorse."

"W-Well," Kagome stammered softly, "y-you see, InuYasha and I w-were at the mall a-and we sort of… saw you."

"Saw me," Rin repeated, a tremor of fear running through her as she thought back to her last outing, knowing who else she had seen, "how do you mean?"

"I mean," the young woman pressed, "w-we saw you with uh-well, you know," she swallowed thickly, "with the little boy."

The young mother stood in shock at the doorway, her deep brown eyes widening slightly before she regained her composure, desperate not to scream of shout out of fear that her son would hear with his demonic heritage.

"I-I see," Rin finally answered as she swallowed, "who else knows about that?"

"J-Just me and InuYasha," Kagome told her, her eyes slightly shocked, "wh-why do you-"

"Don't tell anyone else," her old friend interrupted, "and _especially _don't tell Sesshomaru."

"B-But i-it's his kid… isn't it?"

"No, after he left me I ran straight into the arms of _another_ dog demon," Rin replied sarcastically, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, "who else's could it be!?"

"L-Look, I-I didn't-"

"Don't start," the young mother snapped, "just, don't start."

"But, if it's Sesshomaru's-"

"That demon doesn't _deserve _to know about me _or my _son," Rin snarled, "after the way he left me, you have to be out of your damn mind to think that!"

"I-I see your point," Kagome stammered defensively, her hands held up, "b-but…"

"That's why you decided, after five years, to find me," her old friend sighed, "not because of me, but because of _Sesshomaru_!"

"It's not because of that!" her friend suddenly exclaimed, "we were at the mall and saw you and who we think is his kid-"

"_My _kid!"

"-and we thought that, for the sake of your son we should try and mend bridges-"

"So this isn't you making amends because you felt _guilty,_" Rin practically seethed, "but because of my _son_ who you think is Sesshomaru's!"

"Rin, please," Kagome begged, her eyes guilt ridden, "I am nothing if not sorry about what happened and I _do _wanna make amends with _you_! It's just we didn't see you for five years until three days ago and you just happened to have your son with you; if it had happened without the boy I'd still be here!"

"You didn't speak to me of your own choice!" the young mother snapped, her nostrils flaring before she sucked in a deep breath to calm herself, her eyes darting to the large window that concealed her living room through white curtains, a small head peeking out through them, his amber eyes curious before he caught his mother's eye and slipped from the window, the fabric swishing as he closed it. "Look, Kagome," Rin started, bringing her old friend's attention back to her after her blue eyes looked towards what had caught her brown eyes, "I just…find it hard to believe that after all this you _finally _want to talk to me!"

"Wh-What would it take… to get back in your good graces?" Kagome finally asked, her throat thickening, "I'll do anything I swear!"

"For starters, don't tell Sesshomaru, about _any _of this," the young woman told her after a second, "after what he did to me I'm still too bitter to forgive him."

"Yeah, right," her old friend murmured, "sure just… for how long?"

"Until he has a _good _explanation as to _why_ he left me," Rin told her, "until he had a better reason than the ones in the tabloids."

"A-And the rest," Kagome half-whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Give me your phone number," the young mother told her, her hand outstretched before a white card was placed in it after much shuffling from the red purse around her shoulders her eyes flecked with confusion, "please don't come back unless I call you or I will file a restraining order against you, understand?"

"Y-Yeah, I understand," Kagome murmured, smiling slightly, Rin smiling in response, a sliver of the old friend she used to know shining through, "thank you, Rin, f-for listening to me."

"Well… thanks for apologizing," Rin admitted, "but… I need a little while to figure this all out, this is just a little sudden."

"R-Right," the other smiled, her gloved hand waving as she began walking backwards, "just…please call."

"I will," the young mother promised as she slowly stepped into the house, "bye."

"Bye," Kagome replied, her smiled faltering as the white door shut, her left standing on the walkway; her blue eyes searched around the house to catch the amber eyes peeking out at her though the white curtains before he ducked back into the house.

"Who was that mommy?" the small voice asked as Rin stepped into the house, his head ducking from behind the curtains, his cheeks tinged with red at the idea of being caught.

"J-Just a … friend," Rin breathed, her throat thickening as she tried to keep her emotions in check around her son, "a friend mommy hadn't seen in a long time."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story," his mother sighed, her eyes looking over at him, "can you go get washed up for lunch please?"

"But-"

"Now, please," Rin asked, her hands covering her eyes, her lungs expanding as she inhaled a deep breath trying to steady herself, "I'm sorry honey, it's just… that came as a bit of a shock to me."

"Kay," the boy mumbled softly, his ears flattening as his mother left him alone in the room, the scent of her sadness reaching his nose, his eyes looking up at her retreating back with sorrow; his hands gently pushing aside the white curtains once more to look out at the woman his mother just met, her face turning to the house once more, the boy watching her before he left the living for his own.

His knees hit the carpeting as he reached for the shoebox he hid from his mother, his tiny hands taking it into the light, his fingers flipping through the many folded sheets before he found the few that he was looking for, the pictures of the woman that left their house, her face smiling and her partner a dog-eared man, the same one he had commented to his mother, excitedly pointing at it and saying how they looked the same, his mother's smile faltering but she did agree that they looked alike. Akihiko dug through the remaining papers to find any more of the same woman, ones of her with the same businessman and others, his hands stopping when he pulled out a picture of the woman, but when she wore a white dress and was surrounded by other men, all of them holding wine glasses, one of them having twin stripes on his cheeks and a crescent moon on his forehead.

His amber eyes flickered from the picture to the door where he heard his mother walk past his door, his ears flicked slightly; his mother had said that they were friends and that he was a half-demon, his mother being human and his father being a demon; if both those were true, then his mind stood to reason that one of those men had something to do with his dad, the question remained, which one?

* * *

**So yeah, little Akihiko is a smart one in't he? ^^ **


	4. Chapter 4

**Updates ^^ Mua ha ha ha ^^ Made it nice and long for all of you, hope it's worth it^^**

**Enjoy my lovely readers! ^^**

* * *

The sky was dark, whether by clouds or by the night it did not matter to the young woman as she lay on her bed, her arms around her stomach as she openly sobbed, her crying competing with the pattering rain and the rumbling thunder, the tears running down her alabaster cheeks soaking the pillow had she been calm enough to care.

"Se-Sesshomaru," she whimpered softly, "please… please come home. Please... come back."

It had barely been four hours since the dog demon had just up and walked out on her; Rin had done nothing but cry in that time, the food that wasn't burnt had gone cold had she felt like eating anything at all, the only moving she did was from the hallway to the kitchen and then up to their shared bedroom where she promptly collapsed onto the bed sobbing once more, her head and stomach hurting almost as much as her heart did after the pain she was suffering through.

Her hands moved over the bed sheets towards his side, praying that by some small chance, she could find whatever warmth had since vanished from the morning, her fingers sliding up the sheets towards his pillow, her hand reaching under to pull out the green shirt he slept in when he slept clothed at all, her tearful brown eyes pulling it towards her face to examine it before she brought it to her nose and inhaled, her heart trembling as the all too familiar scent washed over her and how much she wished he was here with her, his arms around her as they both basked in the warmth of her joyous news. Fresh tears spilt from her eyes at the new thought, her hand running over her now flat stomach, her voice breaking into a sob.

"I'm so sorry honey," she whispered to her unborn child, "you don't deserve this, you should be happy, with a mom and dad that love you more than anything, like he would."

Her heart broke afresh at the memories from earlier this morning, the image of Sesshomaru and her and a little dog-eared babe cradled in his or her arms it did not matter so long as they were happy, happy like the child would make them. She imagined the demon smiling at the news, she imagined the demon stroking her rounding belly with a contented smile, she imagined the half-demon in her being doted upon by his or her father; her mouth slipping out a sob as the wishes caused her even more grief.

"Please," she begged quietly, "please, don't let me lose you too."

Her nose buried into the cloth once more, eyes closing as her face remained in the shirt, her hands gripping one of the last links she had to Sesshomaru, her body succumbing to exhaustion as she slept curled in the center of the large bed, her hair spilt behind her. Rin slept deeply that night, her dreams filled with nothing but Sesshomaru as they would be for the next five years, her comatose state unaware that the man in her dreams had slipped into their bedroom in the middle of the night, his own eyes tearing at the sight of her pained form, his long fingers brushing against her dark locks before his lips lowered to touch the smooth skin on her cheek, his mouth tasting the saltiness of her tears from the pain her had caused her, his heart aching as hers did.

"Mommy?"

Rin woke with a start, her eyes moist as she looked around her room, her eyes landing on the sight of her little boy standing beside her bed, his own eyes tearful but for another reason, his arms clutching the stuffed seal Rin had gotten him before he born to his chest, his ears flat against his head as he quivered slightly.

"What is it? What's wrong sweetie?" Rin asked him as she wiped her eyes.

"The thunder," the boy murmured, "it scares me."

"Oh honey," his mother hushed, her ears noting the patter of rain on her window and the darkness of the night, so similar to that night, "come here."

The boy whimpered slightly as he climbed his mother's bed to her warm arms, his lips releasing a tiny squeak of fear as yet another rumble thunder passed by them, a hand on his head trying to sooth the boy as her voice did, the child rocked in her arms as he clutched her nightgown his face buried just above her chest.

"It's okay," Rin murmured, "it's alright, mommy's here, mommy isn't going to leave you."

"I-I'm sorry mommy," the boy sniffed before he started sobbing, "I'm sorry!"

"For what?" the young mother laughed lightly, "why are you sorry?"

"C-Cause," the boy hiccoughed, "I-I'm supposed to-to be brave an-an stuff-"

"Why?" Rin asked as she looked at her little boy in the eye, her hand brushing a lock of hair off his eyes, "is it because you're a boy?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Well don't be sorry," his mother whispered, "you may be a boy, but you're my son first, a little boy; I don't expect you to fight lions or tigers for me until you're much older."

"B-But-"

"Let me protect you for the time being," Rin told him softly as she gently tucked her son under the comforters with her, "it's nothing to be ashamed of honey."

"But I'm the boy…"

"Where did you get that idea?"

The boy blushed slightly as his eyes shifted around her room, the flash of lightning and clap of thunder startling him for a moment before his mother's arms were around him, pressing her frightened son close to her body to comfort the child.

"Mr. Shen," the boy finally mumbled as his hears flattened to his head, Rin sighing as she understood.

Akihiko was active, in both his mind and his body, the boy constantly asking to play at the park, his mother rewarding him with the trips when he did as she asked when it came to his readings. More often than not, the boy would play with a kindly old man with round glasses, a yellow-striped scarf, and an old time golf hat, his smile always friendly to her son as he sat on her lap and moved the pieces on the chess board, Mr. Hamada always helping the boy to improve. On the occasion that the old man wasn't there, Akihiko would play at the park with the other children, Rin watching him from a park bench, soon to be joined by a man with his own child who lived just across the street with his own son, the man constantly seeking her affection and trying to woo her with gifts or flowers, almost all into the trash the minute they met her hands, Rin constantly turning him down, Mr. Shen never once giving up on her.

"So, what did he say, exactly?"

"He said that cause you don't have a man around, that's what I gotta be until you get one."

"Well he's wrong," Rin told her boy softly, "I don't need a man, and you don't have to be strong all the time, we're not supposed to be."

"Why not?"

A hand stroked her son's face, "because being strong all the time means we can't let other people know who we are."

"Even for demons and half-demons?"

"Even for them," Rin smiled as she agreed, "it's nice to have people that know who you are, it's how we get to love each other."

"Like… how you love me?"

"Parents to children are a little different," the young woman told him kindly, "I love because you are mine to protect, because you are the little piece of heaven I have in my life."

"Thank you," the boy mumbled blushing as his mother held him closer, her own lips smiling as she giggled softly.

"You're welcome," she breathed, "now go to sleep."

"Mommy?"

"Hm?"

"Why were you crying?"

Rin seemed to freeze at her son's question, her breath hitching before she forced herself calm.

"I… had a dream," the young woman told him.

"A bad dream?"

"No," the young woman shook her head, "that's the problem, it was a good dream."

"So why does it make you sad?"

"Because it reminds me of what I lost," she sighed, her lips to her son's forehead, "but enough of that, go to sleep now."

"But-"

"Please," Rin asked softly, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," the boy shuffled further into her arms, "g'night mommy."

"Good night Akihiko."

* * *

Kagome shuffled uncomfortably in her seat on the couch, her eyes darting around the living room, taking in the décor, her heart eased at the thought of how little the young woman had changed in their years apart.

The phone call came as a surprise to her, Rin telling her nothing more than to come over to her house and to not be late after two weeks of her original visit, the other young woman almost bouncing on the balls of her feet at the news, her radiant smile never faltering for the entire three days she needed to wait to see Rin until she arrived on the young mother's doorstep, her nervousness washing over her like a great wave the second she rang the doorbell.

"Here you go."

Blue eyes looked up at the other young woman placed a cup of tea in front of her, Kagome smiling for the briefest of seconds before she turned to the cup, her nose sniffing the tea before she took a sip, Rin taking a seat opposite her old friend.

"So," Kagome started, "how have you been?"

"Fine," Rin muttered, "and yourself?"

"Um, good," the other blushed lightly, "I've been good."

"How's InuYasha?"

"He's good too," Kagome tried awkwardly, "working hard."

"And your marriage?"

The wavy haired girl felt herself stiffen at the words, her eyes looking up at Rin in shock.

"I read," Rin told her softly, "I know all about it."

"Oh, right," Kagome nodded, "it was alright."

"Just alright?"

"The ceremony was nice," the other woman murmured, "but I was missing a Bridesmaid-"

"Sango and Ayame filled their roles quite well," Rin muttered, more bitterly than she meant too, Kagome flinching at the deserved remark.

"I tried inviting you," Kagome whispered, "but we couldn't find you by that point."

"You know the reason why."

"Yeah," the other sighed, her tea cup replaced in the saucer, "look, Rin, this is going to be extremely painful for… both of us, just come out and say it."

"Say what?" Rin asked, her own cup put on the saucer.

"Say what you want to."

"Alright," the young mother inhaled deeply, "I don't think I can ever forgive you for up and leaving me like that, alone in the world, it felt exactly like it did when my parents died. I hate that you just let him walk all over you without even so much as a _thought_ about it-"

"Rin-"

"-_and_," Rin pressed, "I hate that it took the discovery of my _son _to make you come knocking on my door!"

The room was silent as the young mother took deep breaths to steady herself, her eyes looking away from her old friend.

"He told us… that the family of his arranged fiancée would come after you if they found out about you," Kagome started, "and-and at first I didn't believe him, but then I met her, she was a piece of work, and her mother was far worse, even worse than Sesshomaru's; there was no doubt in my mind that she would hurt you and then… I saw Sesshomaru's face. He was absolutely devastated without you Rin, he still is. You've changed him, but he's not the same without you, he's… like a shell of what he was without you."

"Then he's an amazing actor-"

"He never danced with anyone at my wedding," Kagome confessed, "not even me."

"Don't," Rin started, tears threatening to bloom, "please don't make me think he still wants me, I still can't sleep without dreaming about that day."

Kagome tightened her jaw but nodded at her words, her fingers playing with the rim of her cup.

"Alright," the other murmured, nodding, "okay."

The two young women drank in an uncomfortable silence, Kagome struggling with her thoughts.

"So," Kagome dared to break the silence, "where is he? Your little boy."

"He's at the park," Rin told her, "he's playing chess with Mr. Hamada, he'll bring him home in about an hour."

"So… he's smart?"

The young woman finally smiled, "he really is, he had his father's brain."

Kagome returned her smile, "so… what's his name?"

Brown eyes looked to meet blue, her own eyes searching before she answered.

"Akihiko," Rin murmured, "his name's Akihiko."

"That's a beautiful name," Kagome smiled, Rin breathing a swift laugh.

"So… what are you going to name yours?"

Her old friend looked up in surprise at her, Rin sitting calmly while Kagome looked confused.

"How did you-"

"You asked for decaf," Rin told her, nodding at the cup, "your chest is bigger and you unconsciously rub your stomach, I did that when I was pregnant," she smiled softly, "since you're not sick, you're not showing, and you know, I'm going to guess you're about fourteen weeks along, given by the idea that you refused something to eat you've only just got over your morning sickness."

"Yeah," Kagome sighed, "I'm fifteen weeks along, we haven't told anyone outside the family yet."

"Con-Congratulations," Rin smiled, "thoughts on names?"

"Not a clue," her friend smiled, "we'll come up with something though."

The young mother nodded as she sipped her tea, the blue eyes looking at her intently.

"Why did you let me come see you?"

Chocolate eyes flicked up to look at her old friend, her teacup replaced with her saucer.

"Because," Rin started, "we-we were really close, once and… no, I don't think we can be like that again, but… maybe I can try."

"That's more than I deserve-"

"But there are conditions you have to meet," the other told her sternly, "the first one is, my son can_not _find out about Sesshomaru."

"But-"

"He left _me_," Rin pressed, "he gave up knowing about his son the minute he walked out that door."

"Rin-"

"You either agree to my conditions or you can walk out," the young mother told her firmly.

"Fine," Kagome sighed after a minute, "alright, I-I won't tell your child about his dad."

"He can know about InuYasha," Rin continued, "I don't think you can hide your husband, and… it would be good for him to meet another half demon."

"Okay," her old friend nodded, "that's… that's fair."

"For the first couple times I want you to play with him here, that is, if you want to play with him at all-"

"Can I!?" Kagome suddenly lit up like a light bulb, "oh Rin! That would be wonderful!"

"Then you can stay here with him," Rin smiled slightly at her old friend's excitement, "I'm sure he'd like that too."

"What about his friends?" the other woman asked, the young mother's face falling slightly.

"He-He doesn't have many to be honest," she murmured softly, "he likes playing chess to sports even though he's very good at them and even though he's smart, some of the kids don't understand when he has trouble reading, they think he's faking it one way or the other."

"He… has trouble reading?"

"My brother did," Rin told her, "guess that's where he got it from."

"But, he's smart right?"

"Oh yes," the boy's mother nodded, "he's Sesshomaru's son, he's so smart he can figure out almost anything given the time, everything save for books."

"So…"

"He's Dyslexic," Rin finished, "but he's smart and he's sensitive about it, so please, don't bring that up around him."

"Right," Kagome nodded, "I'll-I'll remember that; what else?"

"I'm still on the fence about InuTaisho and Izayoi," the other confessed softly, "I know it's not fair to them to never know their grandchild… but at the same time, if the whole world found out about his son, Sesshomaru would figure it out it a heartbeat."

"Al-Alright…"

"Unless… you've already told him," Rin finished sighing, her brown eyes half-hoping, "please don't tell me Sesshomaru knows."

"He doesn't" Kagome told her quickly, "but… InuTaisho does…"

"Figured," the young mother murmured, "has he-"

"InuYasha asked him not too, he's fairly understanding about the wishes of others."

"He always has been," Rin smiled into her cup, "some things just never change."

"And some things change in a heartbeat," Kagome muttered softly, her own eyes sorrowful as Rin nodded.

"Yeah," the other agreed, "I know that too well."

"So um," Kagome stood, lint brushed off her jeans, "i-if that's it I should just-"

"Did you… did you want to meet him?" Rin asked as she looked up at her friend, the blue eyes widening dramatically as she stood in front of the couch.

"You'd… let me meet him?"

"You've already seen him," the young mother smiled, "and… if you want to… be a part of his life, you have to start somewhere."

"I-If you'd let me," Kagome stammered softly, her lips breaking out into a wide grin as she watched Rin nod, her legs practically flying over the table to hug Rin tightly, "oh Rin! Thank you Thank you _Thank _you!"

Rin simply laughed lightly at her energetic friends actions, her hands patting the arms around her.

"Alright," she smiled for the first time in forever, never truly wondering how much she missed her old life until now, "you're welcome, now, tell me about that baby."

* * *

The front door swung open and closed behind the small boy, but not before he waved at the old man, the elder smiling and waving back as he tottered back onto the sidewalk on his cane, his bent back hunched over as his bespectacled face turned towards the house next to hers, a soft smile on Mr. Hamada's face as he thought about how well the boy was growing up despite that he was without a father.

"Mommy?" Akihiko called, "I'm home!"

"Hey sweetie," Rin smiled to him as she came around the corner, her body crouching to allow her boy to hug her, "how was Mr. Hamada?"

"He was good," the boy smiled, "I won the games, six to two!"

"That's great!" his mother congratulated, "and… I've got another surprise for you!"

"Really!?" the boy practically bounced on his feet as his mother led him to the living room, "what is it? What is it? What is it?"

"Well," Rin started kneeling by him as the boy finally saw the young woman standing by the couch, his amber eyes interested as he looked her over, her face unmistakeable from the young woman in the photo, his smile still timid, "this is an old friend of mine, her name's Kagome."

"Old… friend?"

"Yeah," the young mother smiled softly, "we-uh-lost contact a while ago when I moved to this house, but she found me… and wanted to reconnect."

"Hello Akihiko," Kagome smiled timidly, her blue eyes bright, "I've... heard a lot about you."

"Hello Ms. Kagome," Akihiko mumbled politely, his head nodding as he shuffled uncomfortably, slightly shy at the presence of the new woman, "how are you?"

"I'm very well thank you," the young woman smiled, "and yourself?"

"I'm good."

"You're very polite," Kagome murmured, "I bet you're a very nice young boy."

"He is," Rin interrupted softly straightening up, her smile turned to her blushing boy, his ears against his head in bashfulness, his smile timid, "why don't you go talk to her for a bit; do you want a sack?"

"Um, yes please," the boy nodded to his mother, "and some juice?"

"Sure," the young mother nodded, "Kagome, did you want something to eat?"

"If it's no too much trouble…"

"Give a me a few minutes," Rin told them before she directed her attention back to her son, "will you be okay?"

"Yeah," Akihiko nodded looking from his mother to Kagome, "I'll be fine mommy."

Rin nodded and turned to the kitchen, the boy standing awkwardly in the living room before he walked over to the couch, his body crawling up on the sofa before Kagome sat next to him, her face still smiling and her eyes looking him up and down.

"Are you okay with me being here?" Kagome asked him kindly, the boy nodding timidly, "you know," she started, "you're a very handsome boy, Akihiko."

"Thank you," he smiled up at her, his eyes looking over her face before he figured he might not get another chance, "my mom says… I look a lot like my dad."

Blue eyes flickered from the boy to the kitchen, the sound of plates clattering made it evident that Rin hadn't heard a word the boy had told her; the tone of her voice indicated that Rin had told her son nothing of Sesshomaru, which made his statement startling.

"She-She does?"

"Kinda," the boy admitted, his voice lowered so that Rin couldn't hear them, Kagome leaning in to listen to him, "but… she only says it by accident and looks like she doesn't know it… please don't mention it."

"I-I won't," Kagome whispered back, the boy smiling slightly, but not for the reason she thought.

"So… do _you_ think I look like my dad?"

"Well um," the young woman stammered as she pulled back slightly to make sure Rin wasn't listening, "what makes you think… I know your father?"

"You're in the newspaper with him," Akihiko half-lied, "I saw a picture of you."

"How did… you know who it was?"

"She… told me by accident once," the boy lied, "I'm not asking… anything bad… am I?"

"Oh no," Kagome held up her hands at his dejected look, her heart breaking slightly at the sight of the child, "k-kinda, a little, I mean…" her hands touched her forehead and cheeks, "you're, you're hair and eyes are the same colour, but um…"

"Don't tell mommy," the boy smiled up at her, "I won't… things like that make her… sad for some reason."

"I-I can imagine," Kagome smiled kindly down at the boy, the breaking of the first of Rin's conditions made her feel guilt, guilt incomparable to what she'd be feeling if her idea pulled through, "but please, I promised your mother not to talk about… that."

"So… why are you talking about it?"

"Because," the young woman confessed, her eyes flickering to the kitchen where Rin was finishing the last of their snacks, "how much… do you want to meet your dad?"

* * *

**Whew.. got it done... damn wisdom teeth, WHY do mine need to be impacted, it's literally coming in from a horizontal direction.**

**Anyway...**

**Just to clear things up for any confusion, Rin had no idea that Sesshomaru came back that night and Sesshomaru didn't hear the confession about his baby.**

**Reviews if you would be so kind ^^**


	5. Chapter 5

**Moar Updates! ^^ I've had this on my computer for awhile. See, I'll come up with a story, generally in the middle, and write what I think so I don't lose it, and then I have it for later.**

**So: enjoy ^^**

* * *

White ears twitched on the top of the small boy's head, his amber eyes looking around at the city in excitement, his hands touching the base of the window from his car seat in an attempt to pull himself up.

"Miss Kagome," he asked for the millionth time, excitement laced in his voice, "are we _finally _gonna meet my daddy?"

"That's the plan," the woman told him glancing at the rear view mirror, the nervousness concealed in her eyes yet her voice wavered slightly, "but you cannot tell your mommy about this okay? She won't be happy."

"I know," Akihiko mumbled, his face looking somewhat saddened about lying to his mother.

"Don't worry," Kagome smiled, "we'll tell her soon."

"Okay," the boy murmured, his eyes glancing at the skyscrapers and people passing by the young woman's car, "why wouldn't mommy be happy about daddy?"

"Because," Kagome sighed, wishing that the child in the car seat wasn't as inquisitive as a police detective, "because mommy and daddy… didn't part on the best of terms."

"Why not?"

"It's… a long story," the young woman told him, "you should have your mommy and daddy tell you about it."

The boy nodded and remained silent at the unease in his mother's friend's voice, reading signals and cues was something he had always been attuned too, his mother teased him about it, the boy only laughing before she rained kisses down on his nose and forehead, telling him that she loved him, her little angel.

The car turned a corner before it slipped down a ramp, the sight becoming dark, cars of different colors and makes passing across the boy's eyes, his little body practically bouncing in the car seat.

"Alright," Kagome announced, the car pulled into park, the emergency brake pulled up in her spot, her head turned to smile at the little boy, "we're here!"

The boy giggled as the woman stepped from her driver's side to walk over to him, her hands swift in undoing his buckles, moving aside to let him hop out of the car, the little boy had been incredibly independent since he was a babe, his mother letting him try to expand it every day. His tiny hand was taken in Kagome's, his other balled into a fist around the straps oh his yellow backpack, his amber eyes looking around in excitement while the young woman looked nervous and unsure, the excitement in the boy radiating from his small body.

It had taken Kagome the better part of three weeks to allow Rin to take her son out on her own, slowly building up the trust she had lost over the years, guilt racking her body as the thought crossed her mind about how devastated Rin would be if she found out about her alternative motives.

Kagome took him up the flight of stairs, the two of them making it slowly to the main lobby of the building, marble and gold decorated the floor and walls, the boy looking up in awe at it all, the young woman leading him to the gold elevators.

The two entered an elevator, Kagome's slender finger pressing the button for the top floor, the box shuddering as it rose, the little boy beside her practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as he watched the lights glowing for each floor, illuminating the numbers for each level. Kagome was thankful that no one entered it with them, it would be hard enough to explain to anyone let alone Sesshomaru as to why she was walking around with the small dog eared child.

His black jacket was brushed by a tender hand, any lint and fibers on the soft material removed before Kagome straightened up, her own jacket straightened as she took a deep breath, the elevator doors opening with a small ding and she gently pulled the boy along, ever thankful that the top of the building were full of offices and boardrooms, all their blinds closed while she approached the desk, the small imp siting behind it taking no notice of her as she sat the child on one of the leather armchairs.

"Sit here and I'm gonna talk to Jaken, okay?"

He nodded happily while Kagome moved over to the small green imp, the black wool making him hot, the jacket peeled off his body and placed neatly over the armrest.

"Good morning Jaken!"

"It's noon," the demon retorted, "what is it you want, Mrs. Takahashi?"

"I just want to talk to Sesshomaru for a bit, that's all," she told him sweetly, the boy watching their conversation in eagerness.

"He's busy, he's meeting with a client right now," Jaken informed her curtly, "you can make an appointment for a later time."

"Or I can just wait until he's done," Kagome said simply, "I don't mind waiting-"

"No you silly girl!" the imp suddenly snapped, glaring at her with wide green eyes, "he's busy all day! Why can't you leave it be! You're as bad as," he paused for a moment, his face falling slightly before finishing, "you're as bad as she was."

Kagome swallowed thickly, she knew the imp and though he griped about Rin repeatedly, her absence was greatly missed by him.

"Look," the young woman started again, "Jaken, this is _really _important, please, just trust me."

"What's so damn important," Jaken snapped at her, "that you feel the need to interrupt Master Sesshomaru right this second!"

The bickering pair were too enthralled in their argument to notice the little boy slip off his chair and gently approached the double doors when he heard the scuffling of shoes on the carpet, his tiny body hidden as a smiling man in a business suit slipped out the door, Akihiko sliding into the room first chance he sought, the little boy practically shaking with nervousness.

His amber eyes were glued to the man that sat hunched over his desk, his own head of silver-white hair slipped behind his back and ears to avoid it falling in his face as he focused on his work, his senses only detecting the boy once the door had clicked shut, his own amber eyes looking at the boy with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"Is there something I can help you with?" his rich deep voice cut through the boy's thoughts, the child swallowing his fear as he sucked in a deep breath.

"Uh-um," the child stammered, his feet shuffling and his fingers fidgeting, "I-uh-I-um…"

"Are you lost?" the demon asked as he stood to his full height, certain that the child must be a child of his cousin's, his father had so many it was impossible to keep track of them all and one might just have stopped by for a visit.

"Uh…Uh-no," the boy shook his head of white hair, his amber eyes watching the demon as he approached the elder, his hands pulling at his backpack to bring the opening towards his body, "are-are you Se-Sessh…omaru Taka-Takahashi?"

"Yes…" the demon started slowly, his eyebrow raised as he watched the child fidget and rummage through his backpack, the boy refusing to look at him in the eye, "why do you ask?"

"W-Well, I-I uh-"

Slowly, the demon rose from his seat as he took himself to the child's side, Sesshomaru shook his head to shake his thoughts loose, "how did you get in here?"

"M-Ms. Kagome let me come," the child told him quietly, "she-she said…"

"Said… what?"

The boy swallowed thickly before he looked up at the demon, "she said… I could meet my daddy."

Much to Sesshomaru's confusion, the boy reached in and grabbed what he was searching for, his hands pulling out a framed photograph to look at before he handed it to the demon, Sesshomaru taking it in his own hands, his own amber eyes widening slightly from confusion as his heart tightened. Sesshomaru stared at the picture the boy had handed to him, his jaw slaking slightly as he took in the sight of a dark-eyed, dark-haired beauty smiling at him, her skin just as pale as he remembered and her smile equally as beautiful and radiant, her arms wrapped around the small boy that now stood in front of him who looked no more than three in the photograph, the child's own ears twitching out of nervousness as he fidgeted.

"Who-um-who is that woman in the photo with you?" the demon asked the child, his throat clearing as he kept his normally stoic mask, his hands trying to steady themselves as he extended the photo to the child.

"That's my mommy," the boy mumbled, his eyes darting to the photo before he looked back up at the demon, "her-her name's Rin an' she's lots prettier in real life."

"Y-Your-" Sesshomaru stammered, his throat tightening as his head felt light, his hand on his desk as he steadied himself, the floor feeling as though it were moving beneath him, "your mother?"

"Y-Yeah," the boy stammered softly, his eyes worrisome and his ears against his head, the entire effect disheartening.

"B-But… how old are you?" the demon asked, his eyes looking over at the small boy in shock, the child seeming to try and shrink back into himself as the demon tried to make sense of the who scenario.

"F-Four," the child mumbled, his fingers held up to emphasize his point, "m-my birthday's in April."

The demon felt his breath deepen as his mind spun; if the child was born in April, which meant his conception was most likely in July and was he to be taken at his word, then that meant that when he left her, Rin was three months pregnant.

"_Sesshomaru, welcome home! I-I have some wonderful news for you!"_

A hand clamped over his mouth as his memories decided to torment him. The day he left her, the young woman seemed so happy but nervous, her smile was ten times more radiant than he had ever seen, making his heart shatter as he forced himself to leave her, telling himself that it was all for the best, lying to himself. This made sense to him now, the so-called flu, her headaches, mood swings and then her happiness on that day; she was trying to tell him that she was carrying his child.

A small tug on his pants forced him to look down in shock at the boy, the amber eyes, white hair and ears were his while the cheeks and nose were akin to Rin's from the pictures he had seen of her as a child. Presently, his ears were against his skull and his face was worrisome, the demon noticing how expressive his eyes were, just as Rin's.

"Uh-Um," the boy stammered before he swallowed his courage, "a-are you… m-my d-daddy?"

The demon just stared down at the child, feeling faint from the timid question, his mind still reeling by the fact that he might have a child by the one woman he loved more than anything, his heart hammering in his chest as he thought that there just might be some merit to what the child was telling him.

"Wh-Wha-"

"Akihiko!"

Both heads turned to the voice, Kagome barging into his office and practically running towards the small boy, the child looking embarrassed as the woman made it to the two of them.

"Big brother, I'm sorry," the younger apologized before she turned to Akihiko, "I _told _you to stay put!"

"And I told you to stop calling me that!" Sesshomaru snapped at her, his eyes looking towards the small boy, his expression softening at the sight of the child, "what are you doing here with him?"

"Well, um," Kagome blushed as she looked from the boy to her brother-in-law, the child looking from her to Sesshomaru with worry, the boy looking as though he was going to break into tears, "r-recently, InuYasha and I saw Rin… at the store. I-I sort of found her a-and… well," she looked down to Akihiko before back to Sesshomaru's now stunned face, Kagome's smile and her face apologetic, "surprise."

"Surprise?" the demon whispered, his face morphing into disbelief, "you find out about my son… what? A month ago and all you can say is _surprise_?"

"Month and a half," the young woman half-whispered, looking as bashful as Sesshomaru was furious.

"A month and a half?" he whispered, now practically livid, "you saw Rin, and my potential son, and you didn't say a word, for a _month and a half_!?"

"I-I didn't know _how _too!" Kagome defended, "We-We didn't know if you'd believe us-"

"So both you _and _my brother decided to keep this from me!"

"Not forever!" the young woman protested, "just… until we could prove it to you!"

Shaking his head, the demon reached for the phone on his desk, Kagome wincing slightly.

"If you're going to call InuYasha," she murmured, "then you might want to call InuTaisho… we-we sort of told him too."

"Is there _anyone_ in my family that _doesn't _know about him!" Sesshomaru snapped, his eyes narrowed as the boy ducked behind Kagome's legs, his voice softening, "get my father and your husband in the meeting room, it's not being used and we can all talk there."

* * *

It only took the other two Takahashi's less than five minutes to get themselves into the room, Sesshomaru standing with his arms over his chest while Kagome stood behind a seated little boy that they did not know by name but could just as easily guess who he was.

"Sesshomaru what's going-"

"You know _exactly _what's going on!" Sesshomaru cut his brother off, his eyes glaring as the small boy looked from one to the other, his own amber eyes widening at the sight of the other half-demon, his body flinching at the finger that pointed at him, "this is about the little boy _claiming _to be my son and your wife backing him up!"

"Sesshomaru! Stop shouting!" Kagome snapped, sticking up for the little boy, "you're going to scare him!"

The demon sighed slightly as he noticed the worried look on the boy's face, his father looking interestedly over the chair.

"So _this _is Akihiko," the demon smiled kindly down at the younger, the boy looking up at him with a mixture of worry and nervousness, "it's nice to finally meet you."

"Just _how _did _you _know about before _I_ did?"

"Well…" InuYasha trailed of, his own ears against his head in embarrassment as his brother practically fumed, "I didn't know how you'd react!" the half-demon defended, "but… dad figured it out on my face and-"

"We had no intention of telling him before you," Kagome defended, "he just… found out."

"In my defence I did tell them to tell you," InuTaisho held up his hands, InuYasha glaring at his father.

"Yeah right!" the half-demon snapped, "not only are you throwing me under the bus, _you _said _you _wouldn't tell!"

"I said I wasn't planning on it," the demon corrected, "and I said to approach this with caution-"

"None of which was said to me," Sesshomaru interjected, his brother and father looking almost as uncomfortable as Akihiko was sitting in the chair, InuYasha noticing his nephew's discomfort and looking through his backpack to pull out a Rubik's cube.

"Look, kid, here," InuYasha told the boy as he handed Akihiko him a Rubik's cube, the boy taking it in his small hands, "now, Sesshomaru, I get that you're mad but-"

His words were cut off by a small tug on his pants, his eyes looking down in confusion as the boy handed him a completed cube, the colours all matching much to the adult's amazement.

"How… did…" InuYasha trailed off as he looked from the cube in his hands to the little boy, Akihiko looking back at him, his eyes calm and interested.

Without another word, the half-demon began to shuffle the cube in his hands once more, the colours mixing on all sides before it was entirely multi-coloured, the toy handed back to the child.

"Now," the half demon tried again, the boy tugging on his pant leg stopping him once more, three sets of amber eyes looking at the boy that was handing him the same cube completed a second time. "Must've seen me mix it," InuYasha muttered as he turned his back to Akihiko, the child now smiling softly, his amber eyes flickering to Sesshomaru who in turn smiled softly back. "Here!" InuYasha announced as he handed the Rubik's cube back to the boy for a third time, his eyes fixed on the boy as Akihiko took it.

The four adults looked with interest as the boy turned the cube over in his hands, his own eyes scanning the mismatched colours before his hands fiddled with the sides and tops, the child taking no more than three seconds before the toy was completed, all six colours perfectly on all six sides.

"How did you do that?" InuYasha asked in awe, his hands turning over the cube, "it takes me a week!"

"Removing the stickers doesn't count," his father teased as he too, looked on as his grandson's work with amazement before looking down at the boy, "a very good job, Akihiko."

"Thank you," the boy blushed, his smile bashful as Sesshomaru felt his heart twitch at his manner; it was entirely Rin, "it's not that hard really."

"Rin told me he was smart," Kagome grinned, "right, Akihiko?"

"I-I guess…"

"She even mentioned _you_," the young woman told Sesshomaru, "she mentioned you around your son!"

"Did she?" Sesshomaru asked softly, Akihiko twitching slightly in discomfort.

Four pairs of eyes looked at the now embarrassed boy, his eyes looking down at the hands in his lap and his ears drooped slightly.

"You told me that your mother let slip that you looked like your dad," Kagome told him, now thoroughly confused, Akihiko swallowing his nervousness before turning to smile weakly up at the young woman.

"Sorry," he murmured softly, his shoulders shrugging while Kagome's jaw nearly plummeted to the floor.

"You _lied _to me?!"

"I didn't think you were planning this!" the boy said defensively, "but… I knew you knew _something_ about my dad so I thought… that if you thought _I _knew about my dad…"

"So what, you played me?!" Kagome asked, her face disbelieving as the boy's ears flattened against his skull.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I-I didn't think you were gonna let me see him b-but I-I wanted to know-"

"How were you to know she had a connection to me?" Sesshomaru interrupted the two, the now almost tearful boy turning to look at him, his hands taking the back pack on the chair beside him, a shoebox pulled out and passed to the demon.

"My mommy reads the paper in the morning," he told the demon as Sesshomaru flicked through the folded articles, his amber eyes looking from them to his son, "when-when something makes her sad, it almost always has a picture of you guys."

"So you thought that _that _meant he's your dad?" InuYasha asked as he leaned over his brother's shoulder to look at the folded paper.

"Not all of it," Akihiko shook his head, "but… it was also the same kinda sad that she gets when I ask her about you."

"I see," Sesshomaru murmured softly, impressed at the boy's deduction skills, his mouth opened to say more but was cut off by Kagome.

"Be that as it may," she told the child, "you're _still _in trouble when you get home."

"Why?"

"You _lied _to me!" Kagome told him, "I'm sure your mother didn't teach you _that_! She's going to be _very_ disappointed in you!"

"So… what are you going to tell her?"

"That you _lied _to me-"

"Lied about what?"

All sets of amber eyes turned to Kagome, the young woman now seeming to be frozen at the boy's words, the child sitting in the large chair looking at her with interest.

"You told me to keep this a secret form her," the boy told her smartly, "but if you tell her that I lied she'll want to know what it's about and since she told you that you shouldn't talk about it-"

"How did you know about that!?"

"You told me."

"When?!"

"Just now," Akihiko grinned cheekily up at her while Kagome visibly paled, "and I might get into a _little _bit of trouble for lying to you, but what's she gonna do to _you_ for telling me what she didn't want said?"

"You know," InuYasha muttered to his brother, his eyes wide at Kagome's shocked face, "if there were any doubts about him being your son, I'd say they're gone now."

"Hey!"

"He has a point Sesshomaru," InuTaisho interrupted, his hand hiding his grin, his eldest son grumbling for a minute before he turned back to the little boy, the child's smile faltering a little at the almost saddened gaze.

"May I speak to Akihiko for a moment in private?" Sesshomaru asked the group, his body standing behind the chair the boy sat, the other three nodding for a moment before the demon guided the small half-demon off the chair and back out the double doors, the two sliding through into Sesshomaru's study, the boy looking extremely nervous as the demon shut the door.

"I'm sorry," the boy blurted out once the door was shut, Sesshomaru surprised at the tears in the child's eyes slowly slipping down his cheeks, Akihiko crying as he carried on, "I'm-I'm really sorry! I-I didn't mean to-to embarrass you or-or anything like that! I-I just-"

"Hey hey," the demon murmured softly, dropping to his knees to the crying boy, trying to comfort the child that had his fists to his eyes, "shh, what's wrong?"

"I-I just," the boy hiccoughed, his ears against his head, "I just wanted to-to meet m-my d-daddy-ju-just once!"

"Akihiko-"

"I'll-I'll never bug you again!" the child pressed, "I-I promise! I'll-I'll leave you alone!"

"Akihiko!" Sesshomaru tried once more, his voice firm but soft, the tearful amber eyes looking up at him as the boy took gulps of air in an attempt to calm himself; slowly, the demon moved his fingers to the child's face to remove the offending tears, "look," he sighed, his own amber eyes soft, "this is just… a lot for me to take in right now. For five years I… I didn't say a single word to your mother a-and," his shoulders shrugged, a sad apologetic smile on his lips, "and now… I think I have a son by her; it's… confusing, even for me."

"I-I didn't want to cause trouble," the boy mumbled, his hands gripping onto the hem of his blue t-shirt, "I-I'm really sorry-"

"Come here," the demon told him softly, his large hand taking the smaller one and guiding the boy over to his desk, Sesshomaru rummaging around in a drawer before pulling out a tissue, his fingers dabbing the cheeks and eyes gently, his body on his knees for the child, "you can't go home to your mother like this," he told the boy softly, the small smile on his lips causing one in the boy, "she'll know something's wrong."

The boy giggled for a minute as he sniffed, the demon pulling back to sit on his chair, his eyes looking over the small child with interest; his mannerisms and personality was Rin through and through, his nose and cheeks looked were as his love's were when she was his age, his hair had her thickness but his colour as were the child's expressive eyes. The thing that set it in stone of the demon was the boy's smile, radiant and kind, genuine though small, reaching his eyes with an ease that the demon had only ever seen in Rin.

"You're a lot like her," Sesshomaru murmured softly, "you act like your mother."

"Kagome says I look a bit like my dad," Akihiko mumbled his eyes looking down at his feet in bashfulness, a light blush on his cheeks making Sesshomaru smile just a little wider; it was Rin, pure Rin, she had always been so modest and bashful whenever he complimented her on something.

"A bit," the demon whispered softly, the ears flicking as his sensitive hearing heard the elder's words, "the eyes, the hair colour… the ears."

"But… how come you don't have the ears I do?"

"You saw my brother," Sesshomaru smiled softly, "the other demon is my father… your grandfather, he's InuYasha's father too."

"So, why is he a half-demon and you're not?" the boy asked, his head tilted slightly.

"Because his mother is a human like yours is," the demon murmured, "we're… technically half-brothers."

"So… if you are my daddy like Kagome says," Akihiko pieced it together, "then, is Inu…Yasha technically my half-uncle?"

"He would be yes," Sesshomaru nodded smiling softly, "you're a very smart boy."

"I… guess," the boy mumbled, his eyes now looking back down at his feet, this time more out of shame than anything.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just…" he struggled to find the words, "everyone says I'm so smart but I can't read good."

"That's normal for kids your age-"

"No it's not," Akihiko shook his head, "mommy took me to a doctor an' everything for it."

"A doctor?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded, "he-he said I had Dystixia… Dystic… Dys-"

"Dyslexia?" Sesshomaru asked softly, the boy nodding once more.

"Yeah," he mumbled, "I can't read real good, everything looks like a big jumble to me, even when my mommy tries to help me."

"She tries to help you?"

"Uh-huh," the boy smiled timidly, "she-she puts me on her lap and tries to get me to read."

"Does it work at all?"

"A little," Akihiko smiled lightly, "she's real patient with me, won't ever let me give up."

"That sounds like her," Sesshomaru smiled softly, "that sounds like the Rin I know."

A tiny hand touched his knee, the demon looking down at the small boy, his eyes worried at he looked up at the demon.

"Do you," Akihiko started, his body shuffling out of nervousness, "do you think… you're my daddy?"

Sesshomaru stared into the similar amber eyes, the boy's ears faltering slightly; the demon studying his face for the umpteenth time, the features too similar to be anyone's but his and hers.

"Well," he whispered as he smiled softly, "I hope so."

* * *

**Bad little Akihiko, lying to the lair... weird how their spelt so different... hm... anyway, I hope this doesn't seemed rushed or too fast-paced, it _is _gonna slow up a little.**

**Reviews my lovelies ^^ **


	6. Chapter 6

**Another little update ^^**

**Many reviews, if you would be so kind my lovelies ^^**

* * *

"Master Sesshomaru!"

The dog demon turned to the sight of his assistant running to him with a white package in his hands, his green eyes wide.

"I-I brought them my Lord," the imp huffed as the demon took the kit, "I-I hope I was quick enough."

"Yes, thank you Jaken," Sesshomaru murmured, his eyes turning back to the glass-paneled board room, his amber irises softening as he watched his father bend over the sheets of paper and the crayons the boy drew with, his fingers holding the utensils almost tenderly, colouring without the brute force of most four-year-olds.

"Um… m-my lord?"

The demon turned from his smiling and laughing father to look at his assistant, the green eyes trying to peer around his master's legs to have a peek at the young boy.

"Do… Do you really think that child yours, Sir?" the imp asked, his eyes darting from Sesshomaru to the child.

"That's what this test will prove," Sesshomaru sighed softly as he held the kit up, his eyes darting to the little boy colouring with his thought-to-be grandfather, the demon looking happier than his eldest had seen him in years, guilt filling him as he thought of the distrust he already had with the boy.

"Is… Is it what you _want_, sir?"

The question caught him off guard for a moment, his surprised eyes looking from the small imp to the child, the boy catching his eye and smiled timidly at him, the little boy waving for a moment as his grandfather looked up towards his eldest son, his smile still on his face before he turned back to the boy, his hands tickling the child until the younger giggled, Sesshomaru felt his lips curl slightly at the sight.

"I think so yes," the demon murmured as he slipped inside, the sound of the child's giggling reaching his ears.

"Hey Sesshomaru," his father laughed softly as he relinquished the boy, the child turning his amber eyes to the approaching demon, the smile still soft as the demon placed the white package on the table, the demon gesturing to it, "what's that."

"It's a DNA test," Sesshomaru told him quietly, his father's smile fading slightly.

"Sesshomaru…"

"I understand what it sounds like," the demon explained softly, "but… it's better to have something concrete," his eyes flickered to the boy, "for all our sakes."

"Alright," the elder sighed, clearly still perturbed by the thought, the boy looking from one to the other in confusion.

"Akihiko," amber eyes looked towards Sesshomaru, his hand pulling out a cotton swab encased in plastic, the cap popping off as he bent towards the boy, "can you open your mouth for me?"

"Wh-Why?"

"You're not in trouble," Sesshomaru explained, "I just… want to swab your cheek."

"Why?"

"Cause we wanna make sure that he's your dad," Kagome piped up from a chair on the other side of the table, her smile radiant, the boy looking a mixture between confused and disheartened.

"H-How?" he murmured, his lower lip quivering slightly, "I-I thought-"

"We think you are my son too," Sesshomaru interjected softly, "we just need to be sure."

"So… how is that gonna tell you?"

"What do you know about… mommies and daddies and their children," the demon asked softly, finding the childish words odd as they rolled off his tongue; odd, but fitting for the young boy.

"Umm," the boy put a finger to his lips, thinking back to the many questions he asked his mother, "mommy said that a baby is half mommy and half daddy… but she said she'll tell me when I'm older and understand more."

"Right," Sesshomaru nodded, smiling at how honest Rin was with her child yet kept him innocent, "see, everyone's made up of something called DNA. So, if you're my child…"

"I'd have half your DNA stuff," the boy looked up at the demon, "right?"

"That's right," the demon smiled softly, still impressed with the child's deduction skills, "very good Akihiko."

The boy blushed at the praise, his mannerisms even more like Rin's.

"So-"

Without needing to be told twice, the boy opened his mouth for Sesshomaru, fingertips touching the underside of his chin while a cotton swab slipped into his mouth and against his cheek, the demon retracting it from the boy's mouth after twirling and coating it in the child's saliva, the cap closing with a snap before he returned it to the package, the second used in the same treatment of his own mouth before the cap was closed and placed with its brother.

"Jaken-"

"I'll take it back," Kagome piped up, "I'll make sure it gets rushed."

"You kept him from me for a month and a half," Sesshomaru snapped at her, "I'll take Jaken's word over yours for now."

"That's a little harsh," InuYasha stood up for his wife, his brother's glaring eyes rounding on him.

"If the test results come back what we expect, I'll forgive you," the demon told his half-brother, "but if they're a negative, you are _beyond _salvation."

"I second that," InuTaisho murmured, his amber eyes narrowing slightly before he turned back to the boy beside him, his smile slipping back on his face at the confused look on the child's face, "don't worry Akihiko, you're not in trouble."

"Kay," the boy mumbled, glancing over at the demon that sent the test down with the small green imp from earlier, amber meeting amber as Sesshomaru straightened up and approached the four of them.

"Don't we all have work today?" Sesshomaru asked the three of them, his father giving him an incredulous look.

"I think we can all make a little exception," the eldest demon murmured, his hand touching the small head, the ears twitching in response, "wouldn't you agree?"

"Well yes…" Sesshomaru trailed off, figuring only to bring up the topic to find some semblance of normalcy that he seemed to have lost in the short two hours when he found out about his son, his amber eyes looking towards the young boy sitting in the chair, the child watching him with curious eyes.

"If you need to work," Akihiko piped up, "then I can go home."

"Don't think that," InuTaisho corrected him, he too noting the hint of sorrow in the small voice, "we love having you here."

"Even if he's _not_ my daddy?"

"Well," the demon father looked to his own son, a kind smile slipping onto his features, "let's worry about that if it happens, okay?"

"'M kay," the boy nodded, looking up to Sesshomaru as the demon sat next to him, his amber eyes looking at his before down to the drawings.

"I've asked him to draw something for me," InuTaisho murmured, the boy blushing deeply, "but he seems a little unsure."

"I only ever draw for mommy," Akihiko mumbled bashfully, "she says I'm good, but I dunno."

"Why not?" Sesshomaru asked, his fingers pulling two of the three completed pictures, his amber eyes looking them over.

"Cause she's my mommy," the boy explained, "she says wants me to be happy, so she might say something not rue to make me happy."

"Would she lie to you?" the eldest son asked calmly, his amber eyes looking over his potential son, the boy hardly needing to think before he shook his head.

"Uh-uh," the child told them, "no way, she doesn't like it."

"So why would she lie about your art?" Sesshomaru asked softly, his father looking from his son to his grandson, the boy thinking for a moment.

"Cause I'm not that good…"

"I think you are," InuTaisho smiled softly at the blushing boy, "but if you don't want to draw something for me, maybe next time, okay?"

"Okay…"

"Akihiko, I'm gonna pull everyone outside for a minute, just to talk, is that okay?"

"Uh-huh," the boy nodded, the crayon turned over in his hands as he watched the adults file out slowly, each of them giving the boy a nod or a wave, Akihiko still feeling unease, but relaxing after his crying jag, a small smile on his lips that he felt as though his small but loving family had grown.

* * *

"Is there something you need to talk to us about, Sesshomaru?" his father asked once the door had shut behind them, his arms over his chest while his youngest son and daughter-in-law looking embarrassed.

"_Next Time?_" Sesshomaru asked, "father, we don't even know if that's _my _child-"

"Rin would never cheat on you, you know that," the eldest demon interrupted, his eyes determined, "now, Kagome, _is that his child_?"

"Y-Yes-"

"Did Rin tell you that?"

"Yes-"

"Well, there we have it," his hands clapped together, "he's yours."

"Nothing _concrete_-"

"And when that test comes back a _positive_, like we all know it will," he emphasized, "we'll have a nice sit down chat with the boy and you and Rin and talk it all out."

"_That_ might not happen."

All three sets of amber eyes narrowed as they looked at an incredibly bashful Kagome.

"What do you mean, not going to happen?" Sesshomaru pressed.

"Well, see, Rin's just the tiniest bit… hurt, about the whole thing with the break-up-"

"Yes, we're all still a little hurt about it," InuTaisho murmured softly, Sesshomaru swallowing thickly before Kagome pressed on.

"Right, but… she's never told Akihiko… who his father is."

The silence was deafening as the three of them looked at the young woman who was staring at the floor.

"She what?" InuYasha spoke up, his own eyes mimicking his brother and father, the amber irises wide in disbelief, "you never mentioned that!"

"I know and I'm sorry," Kagome apologized profusely, "but-but the boy _shouldn't _grow up without a father, he should at least _know _who you are!"

"Not without his _mother's _approval," InuTaisho corrected her, "Kagome-"

"Wait, did she even want me to _meet _the boy?" Sesshomaru asked her.

"Not really no," the young woman squeaked, pressing on at their disbelief, "but-but I'm sure once she sees how _happy _the boy is with you, she'll change her mind!"

"Kagome, I can't believe you roped me into this," InuYasha grumbled, his hand over his eyes, Kagome shooting an angry glare at him.

"_You _agreed-"

"_Only _because I thought Akihiko knew about his dad!" the half-demon defended, his hands held up, "if I had known the _truth_-"

"Enough!"

Both of them turned to look at InuTaisho, the demon lowering his voice for fear in the small child listening at the door.

"So, Kagome, what you're telling us, essentially, is that we've kidnapped the boy in there," the demon finished, his daughter-in-law looking appalled.

"NO!" she spluttered, "of course not! Rin gave me permission-"

"Did she give you permission for him to meet me?"

The room was thrust back into a thick silence, Kagome swallowing thickly before she forced herself to press on.

"N-No," she stammered, her blue eyes glued to the ground, "she-she said she didn't want him to meet you… she said she… she didn't want him to get hurt."

"I see," the demon murmured, guilt and sorrow clutching his heart, his throat thickening, "well-"

"But, if you can _prove _to her that you want this child too and if you take care of him, then I know we can convince her to change her mind!"

"Kagome-"

"At least try," the young woman pressed, "please? For Akihiko's sake?"

The jaw tightened as Sesshomaru glanced back to the double doors, his heart hammering slightly, a sigh slipping past his lips.

"Fine," he conceded softly, "for the boy's sake, I'll try."

* * *

After what felt like fifteen minutes of Sesshomaru prying Kagome off his chest, the alarm on her phone rang, the young woman thankfully releasing him to glace down, he face one of surprise as she worriedly told them that she needed to take the small half-demon home to Rin, Sesshomaru offering to bring the child to meet them in the garage. The demon slipped inside the boardroom to call the small-half demon, nothing but the white hair and ears visible over the armrest of the chair.

"Akihiko?" Sesshomaru called softly, walking to the half-demon, "Kagome's ready to go."

When the boy didn't move, the demon stepped beside the chair the child was in, his hand reaching to touch the small shoulder, the child hardly moving, causing Sesshomaru to rotate the chair towards him, his eyes widening at the sight of the sleeping face, the small body curled into himself with the sleeves of the black coat touching his lips. Sesshomaru sighed softly, unsurprised that the boy was sleeping; the child had had an emotionally taxing day, his heart was probably so set on meeting his father he must not have slept for days. Gently, his arms slid under the boy, the small head resting on his shoulder with a hand to his back, the other arm under the boy's knees, his arms between their chests.

Sesshomaru was thankful that he agreed to meet Kagome in the parking garage, the elevator ride was smooth and thankfully uneventful, the boy beginning to stir slightly in his arms.

"Good morning," the demon smiled softly as the little boy rubbed his eyes, "how'd you sleep?"

"'m kay," the boy mumbled, only just becoming aware of his surroundings and whose arms he was in, his cheeks flushing a deep red as he stammered, the demon chuckling at the flustering child.

"Don't worry," Sesshomaru told him kindly, "you're not that heavy and I don't have an issue carrying you, at least until the garage floor."

"O-O-Okay," the child mumbled, his cheeks still flamed as he looked down at his sleeves, a question nagging at his thoughts, "um… Mr. Takahashi?"

"Hm?" the demon looked down at the boy, the thought of the child calling him sir or mister irritating him more than he first thought.

"Wh-What if… you're _not _my daddy," the boy mumbled quietly, his fingers playing with his black jacket, Sesshomaru smiling softly as he looked the child over.

Being honest with himself, Sesshomaru couldn't see how the boy could be anybody else's, his mannerisms were Rin's, the kindness, the smile, the bashfulness and his innocence. Rin would have never cheated on him he knew that and given the boy's age, she hadn't found another dog demon out of spite, not that that thought would even cross her mind.

"If you are not my child," Sesshomaru told the boy, his hand straightening the bangs, "then I promise, I will do everything in my power to help you find your father."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," the demon smiled, the boy returning his smile.

"Thank you," the tiny head rested on his shoulder, the boy humming softly, "I hope you are my daddy."

"Why is that?" Sesshomaru asked him equally as softly, the boy still smiling lightly.

"Cause," the boy simply said, the demon smiling at the child.

"Cause why?" the demon pressed, his smile unconscious as the child giggled.

"Just cause," Akihiko shrugged, giggling softly, a deep chuckle rumbled out of the elder's chest.

"There has to be a reason," Sesshomaru encouraged, the bright amber eyes looking up at him, the boy smiling.

"Cause your nice," the child told him, his voice slow as he collected his thoughts, "and you sound like you really love my mommy."

"Yeah," the demon asked, "what makes you think that."

"You say nothing but nice things about her," Akihiko murmured, "and you remember who she is; if you were with someone you didn't like, you wouldn't think highly of them, you wouldn't remember them."

"I guess so…"

"You also looked at her picture like you really missed her," the boy told him, Sesshomaru stunned into a soft silence as he thought of the truth in the boy's words, his hand gently covering the top of the child's head.

Silently, the demon lowered the boy to the ground, his feet touching the elevator floors as the doors slid open to the cool parking garage, the boy following after the demon's brisk pace practically running to keep up with the long strides, Sesshomaru noticing this and slowing for the huffing half-demon.

"Am I going too fast?" the elder asked with a soft smile, the boy panting slightly.

"No," the child shook his head as he came to stand beside the demon.

"Well, here," a long-fingered hand extended to him, the amber eyes widened in surprise as they glanced to the hand, his own to his chest before he hesitantly extended his own, the fingers wrapping around his tiny palm, the elder's hand warm and comforting.

"Thank you," the boy mumbled blushing furiously, his eyes glancing up from the floor to the demon for a swift second, a small smile on his lips, "thank you for today."

* * *

"How was it honey?"

"It was… good," the boy finished, his backpack put on the couch beside him, his eyes looking towards his mother's smiling face, Kagome winking at the kid behind the young woman's back, her own face smiling as Rin turned to her. Their ride had been smooth and unusually quiet, the boy lost in his thoughts, a smile breaking out as his mother met the two of them at the front door.

"He looked like he had fun," Kagome told her old friend, "InuYasha enjoyed himself too."

"That's good," Rin smiled, her hand running over the soft ears, the boy smiling up at her before she turned to Kagome, "thank you, for today."

"Yes, thank you Miss Kagome!" Akihiko smiled, guilt racking through the young woman as she smiled at them.

"Well," her finger touched her lips, "if you had such a good time with uncle InuYasha, would you like to do it again? Maybe in two weeks? If that's okay with you Rin."

"Yeah, it doesn't seem like a problem if you want to sweetie," Rin told her friend, the boy nodding vigorously, his mother laughing kindly, "then sure, if you're up for it."

"Actually," Kagome tried again, her smile cheeky, "I was thinking that InuYasha take the boy and you and I go out for a good old fashioned ladies night."

"What?" Rin asked, her smile still on her face, "come on Kagome, I haven't gone out in _years_."

"Neither have I," her other friend smiled, "come on! It'll be fun! Dress up, dinner and drinks or we can just stay in and have a glass of wine and a chick flick."

"The latter is preferable-"

"Great! So, we'll let the boys have their night and we can have ours!"

"B-But Kagome-"

"That sound good to you, Akihiko?" Kagome asked, blatantly ignoring the young woman's stuttering protests.

"Um… okay, but-"

"Great! See you then!"

"No, wait, Kagome!"

The door shut behind the young woman as she too to the streets leaving a very confused looking boy sitting on the couch and sighing Rin.

"Mommy?" the boy asked timidly, "what-"

"_That _is what Miss Kagome does… a lot," Rin told him kindly, "she _insists _on things being fun and happy and though she does have our best interests at heart, she doesn't always go about it the right way."

"She does that… a lot?"

"A bit yes," his mother laughed, "when she goes off on an idea she's got, she doesn't listen to anyone, just goes on and on, planning and arranging everything."

"Isn't that a little bossy?" Akihiko asked, his mother sitting beside him.

"Yes it is," Rin nodded, "but don't call her that, it's not a very nice thing to say."

"Okay."

"Now," arms wrapped around the child and pulled the smiling child on her lap, "tell me about your day; Kagome said you went to a big park, how was that?"

The amber eyes looked up at his mother, a small smile on his lips as he thought of how, in two weeks, he may get to meet the man he already thought of as his father.

"It was really really good mommy," he smiled up at her, "I'm looking forward to the next one."

* * *

**So... thoughts^^**


	7. Chapter 7

***Ahem* ... AAHHHHHHHHH! **

**Super stressed out right now thanks to an exam, a debate, a poster presentation, a problem set, and a pre and post lab... all of which I gotta get done by tomorrow... :(**

**Enough about me, on with the story ^^**

* * *

Shocked amber eyes stared at the paper for the millionth time in the hour, his long body lounging on his couch as he held the document out in the air, his breathing noticeable and deep as he remembered how to. His arm fell limp beside him with the paper his mind continually spinning as he wrestled with his feelings.

Positive.

The match had come back as positive, that the individuals were indeed father and son. It wasn't as though Sesshomaru had expected differently; Kagome would have most certainly asked Rin and she would never go this far for a prank, even with his brother pulling the strings. It still, however, came to him as one hell of a shock, the news finally sinking in that he had a child, a son, with the woman he loved more than anything, a woman he treated to be fragile yet broke in an instant.

Part of him was simply overwhelmed with utter joy; he and Rin had a son, an intelligent and happy boy, a child clever enough to seek his own father out at the tender age of four and sought everything else with and innocent curiosity. The other part of him, however, was wracked with grief and guilt, grief that he had abandoned his love and his child in the first few months of his budding life. His throat thickened as he thought about everything he missed in his five years from Rin, her pregnancy and the baby's birth, missed being able to hold his baby boy in his arms and coddle him, missed watching him take his first few steps, first words, missed the pudgy little arms reaching for him with a beaming smile.

His chest expanded as he inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself from his thoughts, his arm covering his eyes as he took deep breaths, his amber eyes peeking out back to the piece of paper once more, his fingertips tracing the results from the hospital, his heart full at the thought that the little boy was truly his. The phone ringing startled the demon out of his thoughts, his hands reaching for the black device.

"Sesshomaru speaking."

"Hey Sesshomaru," his half-brother's voice rang through the phone, "how-how are you?"

"I'm well thank you," the demon sighed, "I take it you're calling about the results?"

"Kinda," the younger sounded uncomfortable, "Kagome got word that you got them back… so, what's the verdict?"

"Well," the paper was held to his eyes once more, "you're forgiven."

"Really!?" Sesshomaru could practically hear the younger bounce on the other end of the line, "oh that is _great _Sesshomaru, that's _awesome_!"

"I guess," even the demon couldn't conceal his grin, his brother's enthusiasm seeping into him.

"That's going to be the best news that kid's gonna hear!" InuYasha exclaimed, the demon mildly confused before his brother pressed on, "see, Kagome managed to convince Rin for a girl's night so _I'm _left with taking care of my little nephew."

"Yeah?" Sesshomaru sat up, suddenly interested in his brother's words, "wh-when?"

"This Saturday," the half-demon practically laughed, "come round before seven."

The demon grinned as he bade his brother goodbye and shut off the phone, his head hitting the pillow propped up on the couch's armrest, the smile on his face immoveable as he thought about the coming Saturday.

* * *

"Akihiko!**" **Rin's voice rang out through the house, "Kagome and InuYasha are here!"

The pattering of feet and shutting of his door left a smile on his mother's face at how excited the little boy was about hanging out with his uncle, even though he did not know who InuYasha was to him.

"Are you ready?" the young woman asked to the little boy who came to stand by her legs, his yellow backpack over his shoulders as he looked up at his mother with a radiant smile, his head nodding vigorously.

"Uh-huh!" Akihiko beamed, "I'm all ready!"

"You two have a great time!" Kagome beamed at them as she and her nephew switched places, her knees bending down to hug the little boy, InuYasha smiling down at the child, nodding to Rin before the two of them ducked out, but not before Rin kissed him on his forehead and cheeks, Akihiko hugging his mother tightly. "Now," the young woman clapped her hands once her husband and nephew had taken off for her home, "where do you hide the wine?"

"Away from the pregnant woman," Rin teased, smiling at the thought of a night to herself and a friend with a bowl of popcorn and a collection of chick flicks for the first time in five years. It wasn't as though she didn't lover her son, she would do anything for the boy, but it was a nice change to have time for herself.

"You seem really excited," InuYasha commented as he pulled into his driveway, a smile on his face as the practically bouncing boy looked around with eager interest, the elder half-demon smirking at the thought that the kid might be the reason his suspension would be shot to hell the next morning.

"It's lots of fun to meet another half-demon," the boy grinned as his uncle killed the engine, the elder reaching in to unbuckle his seatbelt, "I don't get to meet a lot."

"That just makes us extra special," the amber eyes winked at him, his fingers to his lips, "but don't tell anyone I said that, they'll get jealous."

The boy giggled as he mimicked InuYasha, his finger to his lips before he was lifted to the paved driveway, his backpack handed to him before he turned and took to the front door, InuYasha following him with the car locking behind him.

"Oh! I forgot to mention," InuYasha announced as they slipped inside, "there's someone else here to meet you."

Confused amber eyes turned from his uncle to look at the approaching footsteps, his face in slight shock as Sesshomaru stepped around from the kitchen, a soft smile on his lips as he greeted the other two.

"Hello again Akihiko," the demon murmured, "it's nice to see you again."

"Um… yeah," the boy mumbled, looking from Sesshomaru to InuYasha, the other half-demon grinning at him, "wh-what's going on…"

"Do you remember when I swabbed your cheek for that test?" Sesshomaru asked gently, Akihiko's attention now turned to him with a timid nod, long fingers gently reaching to pull out the piece of paper that he received three days ago, "well, the results came back recently."

"A-And… what did it say?" the boy asked nervously, his hands wringing the yellow straps of his backpack.

Sesshomaru's smile seemed to soften even more, resembling his ease with Rin.

"It said that yes, you are my son."

The nervousness dissipated from the little boy almost instantaneously, his grin beaming as he practically pelted towards Sesshomaru, his outstretched arms hugging the demon's legs. Surprised, the demon felt his own smile falter for a moment before it fell easily back into place, his hand gently placed on the child's crown of white hair.

"Really?" the boy practically giggled, small tears of joy blooming in his eyes, "really?"

"Really," Sesshomaru told him softly, "I'm sorry if I worried or made you doubt yourself."

"S'okay," Akihiko bleated a small laugh, "I have a daddy," he giggled, "I have a daddy."

"So," InuYasha interrupted the two of them, "anyone want something to drink? We have nothing but healthy juice since Kagome found out she's pregnant."

"How's that sound?" the demon father murmured to his son, the joyful amber eyes looking up at him with tears in their corners.

"Can I still ask you stuff?"

Sesshomaru smiled for the first time in what felt like an eternity, his eyes a melted honey-coloured that only Rin had ever seen.

"All night if you want," the demon murmured softly as he and his son took to the kitchen, his boy holding onto his pant leg, the other fist wiping away his tears of utter joy.

"Um…" the boy mumbled, looking bashful for a moment as he stopped walking, a thought striking him, "what-what can I call you?"

"What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked as he looked down at his son.

"I mean… you call your dad 'father' so… is that what you want me to call you?"

"I call my dad father because… it suits _me_," the demon explained softly, a smile on his lips, "but… I'm fine with you calling me daddy."

"R-Really?" Akihiko suddenly brightened up, "you-you want me to call you… daddy?"

"Only if you want to," Sesshomaru smiled wider at the now beaming boy.

"Okay then," his bright amber eyes looked up at his father, "thank you… daddy."

The demon felt his heart lighten at the name and the blush on his son's cheeks, the beaming grin still on the boy's face as he prepared for a night with him and his son doing nothing but talking about their lives, something he was looking incredibly forward too.

* * *

Laughter bubbled from the couch as the two women sat around a bowl of popcorn and held glasses of soda, Rin refusing to drink while Kagome didn't claiming it unfair for her old friend.

"So, how come you don't do this with Sango or Ayame?" Rin asked as she slipped a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth, Kagome swallowing her drink.

"I do," Kagome confessed, "but… it's hard sometimes… neither one of them have had a kids so they don't know what I'm going through and you and I," she paused, swallowing thickly before she continued, "we just… we had a sort of special connection because of… those two."

"Yeah," the other young mother smiled softly, "I guess…"

"Oh Rin!" brown eyes went wide as Kagome all but launched herself into Rin's form, her arms around the slim young woman, tears slipping down her cheeks, "Rin, I'm so so so sorry for what I've done."

"Kagome-"

"Please, if-if it's the last thing I do on this earth I'll earn your forgiveness," Kagome cried, the hands touching her shoulders startling her for a moment, tearful blue eyes looking up at the brown ones, her own on the verge of crying.

"Hormones are a bitch, aren't they?" Rin asked softly, a small laugh slipping from her lips, Kagome's mimicking hers, the pregnant woman sitting up slowly.

"A bit, yes," she conceded, sniffling slightly.

"It's all a roller coaster from here," Rin told her smiling softly, "and… it's been a bit of a rocky start I'll admit that, but we're working on this… piece by piece."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Yeah," the young woman nodded as she slowly stood from her seat on the couch, "now… can I clean up this popcorn?"

Blue eyes went wide at the realization that, in her moment of hormonal crying bout, she had unintentionally knocked over their bowl of popcorn.

"Oh, Jeez! Rin I am so-"

"Don't worry about it," Rin smiled as her hand brushed the white remnants into the metal bowl, her friend helping her.

"On the plus side, at least morning sickness is done and over with."

The snort of disbelief from Rin was enough to make Kagome look up at her with worried eyes.

"Don't tell me-"

"My doctor warned me that _some _women get sick in the late stages of pregnancy," Rin told her as the white flakes were dusted into the container, "and though I didn't, getting any form of flu or cold is a living nightmare since you can't have any medicine."

"Really?" Kagome groaned as her friend giggled.

"Lots of tea with honey, chicken noodle soup, and plenty of rest," the young mother informed her as she stood to dispose of the spoiled food.

"Guess InuYasha's gonna be my little man servant for a while-" Kagome stopped herself mid-sentence as she noticed her friend stiffening at the words, "and I'm an insensitive idiot for saying that."

"It's okay," Rin told her softly, "really, it's fine."

"A-Are you sure?" the young woman pressed, "are you sure _you're _fine… with everything that happened-"

"Can we go back to you groveling for forgiveness?" her friend asked, "it's a much easier topic to deal with."

"Since when did you take the easy route?"

"Since talking about Sesshomaru hurts," Rin murmured softly as she gathered their glasses and slipped them into the sink, "I'm still enormously bitter about it."

"As expected," Kagome pressed, her heart hammering as she nervously pressed on, "but… your feelings for Sesshomaru… they can't be _all _hate and sorrow."

Rin felt her throat tighten as she struggled to find the words, knowing the truth was something she herself had trouble understanding.

"I… I," she swallowed thickly, "even after what he's done, a part of me still loves him… I mean, he was my life for two years before he chose to leave me _and _he gave me Akihiko. If nothing else that boy deserves a father more than anyone."

"But…"

"But after what his father did, _Sesshomaru _doesn't deserve to have my son as his child."

"But it _is _his child-"

"Only by blood," Rin told her friend firmly, "since we weren't married, I don't see how that entitles him to my son."

Kagome nodded solemnly as she willed herself not to flinch at the hidden anger in her friend's voice; anger, and a hint of sorrow.

"I have no explanations or half-decent reason why he left you," Kagome whispered softly, "but… I think, I _know_, that he still loves you… and he would love his child as he does you… _you _know that."

"What if history repeats itself?" Rin asked quietly, "what if he leaves me _and _my son for a second time? This time when Akihiko can remember him? It'll only destroy my child… I can't bear to see him struggle with a _word_, let alone the damage it'll do to him knowing that his father, the man he admires without even knowing him, didn't want him."

Kagome remained quiet as she stood against the doorframe, her heart racked with guilt as Rin's words ran through her mind. She could understand her friend's worries and concerns, but Rin hadn't seen her child with his father, hadn't seen how Sesshomaru softened almost instantaneously at the sight of his little boy.

"What if he didn't?"

A knock on the wooden door interrupted Rin from replying, the two sets of eyes turning to look towards the front door before Rin answered it, a smiling InuYasha greeting her with her small son in his arms, the eared head resting on the half-demon's shoulder.

"How about an exchange?" InuYasha grinned, "one four-year-old half demon for a pregnant woman."

"Sounds good to me," Rin smiled as she took her little boy in her arms, the yellow backpack taken in her hands as Kagome slipped on her coat, the buttons fastened before the young woman stepped up to her old friend.

"Thanks for tonight," Kagome smiled as she awkwardly hugged Rin, the little boy adjusting so the action could be returned.

"Let's do it again sometime," the young mother said honestly, as the couple slipped outside the door, waves exchanged before the white door shut softly behind them.

"Mommy?"

"Hello sweetie," Rin smiled kindly, "did I wake you up?"

"Wasn't really asleep," the boy mumbled as he was transported to his bedroom for his pyjamas and bed.

"Well, then you should get to bed," his mother told him softly as he was lain on his bed, the soft cotton pyjamas were taken out for his bedtime, "did you enjoy tonight?"

"Uh-huh," Akihiko yawned, "I had a really good time."

"Yeah?" Rin pressed as the shirt was replaced with the cotton top, "what did you talk about?"

"Lots of stuff," the boy said ambiguously, worry in his mother's heart that InuYasha might have mentioned his father.

"Well, I'm glad you had fun," his mother murmured as she kissed his forehead, "do you want to see them again?"

"Yes please," Akihiko smiled up at her, "but can _we _do something tomorrow?"

"We haven't done anything in a while, have we?" Rin asked as the little boy was tucked in, "so how about tomorrow we go to the park, just you and me?"

"Can I play on the jungle gym?"

"For as long as you want," the young woman smiled before she turned to the laundry hamper, the clothes slipped in as she turned back to her son, a soft smile playing on her lips as she saw his amber eyes shut, his breaths steady and even with his rising chest.

"Goodnight goofball," Rin teased as she kissed his forehead gently, her boy groaning for a minute before a small smile appeared on his lips, his hair lightly stroked before his mother silently left him to his dreams, her own filled with the same silver haired demon that had slipped into Akihiko's, each of them seeing the little boy held by the strong arms while his mother stood close to the two of them, her heart full for the first time in forever.

* * *

**So I might not get much updated in April from the exam season (woo) so I'm sorry about that... also, I have a lack of creativity right now (I'm sorry :() so we'll see what happens **

**Reviews if you would be so kind my lovely readers ^^**


	8. Chapter 8

**And the last update for my InuYasha fans... whew... hope you like it ^^**

* * *

Laughter escaped the young woman's lips as she happily waved back to her child, her little boy running around with the other children, laughing and giggling as he slid down the slide or ran around the bridges and ladders, his arms outstretched as though he were ready to take flight, a thought that caused Rin's emotions to stir in her chest. It wasn't as though she wanted her son grounded for all eternity, she only wanted the best for him yet at the same time, Sesshomaru had left such a gaping hole in her heart that she worried her son would leave her too, leaving her to worry further that she was smothering her son.

"Mommy!"

Dark hair lifted up from looking at the ground to look up to her son, the boy's bright amber eyes watching her.

"What is it sweetie?" Rin asked softly, her lips curling into another smile though her son was not fooled.

"What's wrong?" the boy asked softly, his ears drooping slightly at the thought of his mother saddened.

"Nothing honey," the young woman murmured, "it's just…" she bit her lip, "do you think… I'm overprotective of you?"

"Uh-Uh," Akihiko shook his head, "you let me play with the other kids and when I get a scrape you don't get really scared and you let Miss Kagome take me places… why?"

"Being a mommy is really hard," Rin told him softly, "I'm just worried… I'll push you away and you won't want to see me anymore."

"NOooo~" the boy whined, his arms reaching to hug her, "I _always _wanna see my mommy! I love you mommy!"

"I love you too Akihiko," she smiled as she kissed the top of his head, "but… those are just a mommy's worries… okay?" the young woman tilted her head up to look her in the eyes, "please don't worry about them, okay? I'll always love you, I promise."

"Then I promise to love you too," the child hugged his mother before he smiled up at her, his amber eyes lingering on her before he took to the jungle gym, the mass of children looking as though they were preparing to play a new group game, Rin smiling for a moment longer before she glanced to the empty spot on the bench beside her, her heart aching as she wished not for the first time that it was Sesshomaru who sat next to her while they watched their child playing happily.

That was the second thing that ate at her; Rin worried greatly that her son would wind up hating her for keeping who his father was in the dark. The worst thing about it was that she didn't hate Sesshomaru as she felt she should. True, bitter thoughts still roamed about in her head and she held distrust in her heart, but the love that she felt towards him was a flame that she knew would never die and the words that Kagome spoke only served to heighten her hope in the situation.

Her shoulders sagged as she sighed, wishing that she could go back to that day and tell him first that she was pregnant, that maybe it would be enough to change the entire situation, that perhaps he would chose to deal with his family problems with her by his side and his child in her belly.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?"

Surprised brown eyes turned to look up at the voice, a man's face smiling kindly down at her before he took a seat beside her, his navy blue coat wrapping around him.

"It is," Rin agreed softly, her body trying to close off in an attempt to silently convey her disinterest, "so, what brings you out, Mr. Shen?"

The man laughed jollily, the sound very much unlike Sesshomaru's soft chuckle that always made shivers slip up her spin and her own lips curl into a breath-taking smile.

"Rin, as I've told you a hundred times now, call me Yuji" her smiled at her, his row of perfect white teeth flashed to her as he ran fingers through his slicked black hair, everything about him impeccably perfect, something that irritated her to no end.

While Sesshomaru did care about appearances in the public eye, he would never go out of his way to force change on her and he didn't care about them while he was out with her; Rin always thought he was the most handsome thing she had ever seen and will ever see, his confidence and pride only serving to heighten it in her eyes even though he walked with a touch of arrogance. Yuji, on the other hand, held none of the confidence in a positive light and turned it to pretentiousness, preferring to waltz around with his chest puffed out rather than his head held high.

"To answer your question," the man continued, "I am here as I thought you looked lonely sitting here by yourself so I thought to grace you with my presence."

"I'm flattered," Rin told him, her body standing from the bench, "but Akihiko and I need to go home."

"In that case, why don't you and I get acquainted over dinner, say Friday night?"

The young woman shook her head as she sighed softly, "you never give up, do you?"

"I could say the same to you," Yuji smirked lightly, confusion on Rin's face making him press on, "he's not coming back Rin."

Rin stiffened slightly before she swallowed thickly, "_who _isn't coming back, Mr. Shen?"

"Akihiko's father," the man nodded to the small boy on the playground, "that man left the two of you for some reason I cannot see," he stood to his full height, his hand reaching for her, "however _I_ will never leave you-"

"Heard those words once before," the young woman cut him off, "but I only believed them when they were from a _real _man."

"Rin-"

"Goodbye Mr. Shen," Rin told him curtly, "please stop with your advances, they are rather tiresome."

"But-"

Rin said nothing more as she turned to her child, the boy looking confused as he climbed down to meet her, his body bouncing over to her.

"Mommy?"

"InuYasha is coming to get you in a little while," the young woman told her son, "but before that… would you like to go get some ice cream?"

Her smile returned at the boy's vigorous nodding, her hand extending for the child to take, his tiny hind slipping into her delicate fingers, the boy following his mother with a slight bounce in his step and a smile on his lips at the thought of the time spent with his mother and a dinner with his father, his heart wishing that he could spend the entire time with both his parents.

* * *

A knock on the door alerted Sesshomaru to his dinner guest, his lips curling into a smile as he shut off the stove and turned to the door, his lips widening at the sight of his son, the little boy looking bright and happy but still hesitant in the other's presence, his brother standing behind the younger half-demon.

"Hello again Akihiko," the demon murmured to his son, the little boy nodding as he stepped up to his father, to his brother, "and thank you InuYasha."

"Right," his younger brother nodded, "Akihiko, I'll be back round eight okay? Have a good time."

"Thank you," the boy nodded politely to his uncle's retreating back, his amber eyes then turning to his father, the demon stepping aside to let the boy in, Akihiko looking around with interest. "You have a nice place," the child commented, the demon chuckling as he shut the door softly.

"Thank you," Sesshomaru murmured, "but it's not that impressive really, your home with you mother sounds much more appealing to me."

"Really?" Akihiko asked, "why?"

"Cause I miss the two of you," the demon admitted as he moved to the kitchen, "are you hungry?"

"Yeah!" the boy smiled as he followed his father, the demon pulling a chair out for him before he plopped his son into it, his father finishing with their dinner.

"Hope you like curry," the demon told his child, the bowl placed in front of the boy, "it's not too spicy for you."

Akihiko nodded his thanks as he speared on of the curry-covered chicken with a fork, his nose curious as he sniffed the morsel, the boy only taking a bite when his father had taken his own seat, the amber eyes shifting as the flavor rolled around in his mouth.

"Well?" Sesshomaru pressed, a smile tugging on his lips at the unintentionally amusing antics of the young boy, "what do you think?"

"It's good," the boy mumbled after he swallowed, a smile on his lips as he took a second bite from his dinner, the demon tucking into his own after a moment.

"Does your mother ever make this stuff for you?" his father asked after a few minutes of silence between them, the boy respectfully finishing what was in his mouth before answering.

"Kinda," he told the elder honestly, "I've had stir-fry and before and that kinda thing, but mommy also gives me other things like pasta and stuff."

"Sounds like your mother," Sesshomaru murmured softly as he took a bite of his own dinner, his mind recalling cooking he would enjoy after a long day's work, how Rin would prepare everything to his liking and fill the house with delicious aromas of spices and sauces.

"So…" Akihiko started, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he broke the silence, "what was mommy like…when you were together…"

The demon smiled softly at his son's curiosity, the boy looking bashful but brave.

"I guess… she was happy," the demon mused, "she'd always have a smile that would light up a room when I saw her," he tilted his head slightly, "why, what's she like now?"

"She still smiles," the half-demon told his father, "but… sometimes she looks sad, but only when she thinks I'm not looking."

"She just doesn't want you to see her sad," Sesshomaru murmured, "I can understand that."

"But isn't that like lying?"

His father looked over at him with soft eyes, the flecks of rice licked off his lips as the boy looked up at the demon with inquisitive eyes.

"You're extremely smart, Akihiko," the demon commented calmly, "I've only got to meet you all of three times and yet you continue to impress me."

The child blushed furiously at the praise, his eyes taking an interest in the food his fork turned over.

"To answer your question," Sesshomaru continued, "it _is _sort of like lying… but the thing is, not all lies are bad."

"Mommy says all lies _are _bad," Akihiko mumbled, "that they're gonna hurt the ones you love, even if you tell them because you don't want to hurt them."

The demon paused at his son's statement, the boy wiser than he got credit for.

"I guess they do," the demon admitted, guilt racking him at the thought of how damaging his own lie was, that now he could not live with the woman he loved and the child they had.

Their conversation moved to a lighter topic, Sesshomaru learning all about his son's aspirations and fears, how nervous the boy was about going to school in about a year, if he would fit in, if he would make friends, the worst of his nerves being that he would be mocked for his reading, his father assuring him in a heartbeat that he would do fine, that his intelligence would outshine his disability.

Sesshomaru was impressed that his son had cleaned his plate, the demon half expecting the boy to be a picky eater, thankful to be wrong as he put the dishes in the dishwasher.

"So, Akihiko," the demon started, "what do you usually do after dinner with your mother?"

"Um… sometimes we read together or watch a movie," the boy smiled, "but I also draw sometimes, could we do that?"

"Sure," Sesshomaru nodded, "though, I'm afraid I don't have anything like crayons or markers, just charcoal and sketching pencils."

"You mean like… for a serious artist?"

"I'm not serious," the demon chuckled, "but… sort of yes."

"So… you draw?" the boy pressed, now appearing to bounce on the balls of his feet in excitement, his smile widening while his father nodded.

"Want me to draw you something?" Sesshomaru asked with a smile, his grin widening at the vigorous nodding, his body moving over to a desk, his fingers reaching in and pulling out a pad of sketch paper and a pack of charcoal sticks.

Akihiko sat next to his father on the couch, his amber eyes watching intently as the demon moved his hand over the white paper, the black charcoal leaving marks which slowly formed a picture, the boy becoming more and more interested in the work.

"Wow daddy!" Akihiko gushed, his hands on his father's thigh as he looked over the charcoal drawing his father produced, the image that of his mother and him from the picture the boy had first shown the demon, "that's really really good!"

"Thank you," Sesshomaru chuckled, watching as his son reached to touch the picture, "just be careful with the picture, charcoal smudges."

"Smudges?" the boy asked, his amber eyes confused while his father smile kindly down at him, his fingers replacing the black stick in its holder, his fingertips held up to show his child.

"It leaves black marks on the skin," the demon explained, "not permanent, but it also leaves a mark on whatever you touch, like here," his fingers brushed the left cheek of his son, "and here," black marks appeared on the giggling boy's right cheek.

"Daddy!" Akihiko squealed, his hands coving the smudges of charcoal on his skin that his father had given him, "mommy's gonna see it!"

"We'll wash it off before you go home," Sesshomaru laughed for the first time since he left Rin, the action feeling as though a weight was lifted of his chest.

"Can you show me how to draw mommy real pretty like that?" the boy asked as he crawled into his father's lap, the demon smiling as he turned to a fresh new page, his own fingers grabbing the stick of charcoal before he placed it in his son's hands, his own surrounding the child's.

"Right, start with the face shape…"

The boy continually smiled as his father guided his hand around the page, the picture forming to be his mother, her smile as bright as they both remember it, her long hair framing her face and her eyes looking at them with warmth.

"This is really pretty," Akihiko commented, his eyes looking over the work before the smile fell slightly, his father noting it as the charcoal was replaced a second time.

"So what's wrong?" his father asked, his eyes looking down at his son.

"I wanna show mommy," the boy mumbled, his hand holding onto the page, "but… she'll know and then… I won't see you again."

A clean hand touched the top of the white locks with care, the demon sighing softly in agreement.

"We'll find a way to tell her," Sesshomaru promised softly, "we won't keep this a secret forever."

"Kay," Akihiko grinned, "but until then…"

Sesshomaru felt his amber eyes widen as a small hand touched his face, the black mark trailed from his eyebrow to his nose, his mouth hanging open in shock before his lips curled upwards, the boy giggling madly, his getaway stopped by an arm around his waist, his legs kicking harmlessly while he struggled against his father.

"Daddy!" the boy squealed, "l-let me go!"

"Never," the demon grinned, his own chest moving as he chuckled, enjoying the sound of his child's laughter as the boy playfully struggled against him, "come on," he smiled as he scooped up the boy, his smudged hand careful to avoid the clothing, knowing it would be hard to wash that out of his clothing, "let's get us cleaned up."

Akihiko nodded as he smiled up at the demon, the back of his head to his father's chest as his hands and face were cleaned with tender care, his smiling lips often turned to his father's own smiling face. He was patient as he waited for his father to finish before he took the wet rag from the long fingers and gently emulated the demon, his hand dabbing at the marks he had left on Sesshomaru's face and the long fingers, both of them removed of the charcoal stain.

"There we go," Sesshomaru murmured, "all clean to go home to your mother."

Arms attempted to wrap around his waist, the boy only stopping halfway due to his size, his head rubbing against his father's side.

"What is it?" the demon asked, his arms gently holding the little boy close, "something wrong?"

"I wanna go home with you," the boy mumbled, "I wanna go home and be with you and mommy."

"I know," Sesshomaru murmured, his lips to his son's hair, "I do too."

* * *

**So... reviews?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Moar updates ^^Enjoy!**

* * *

A loud sneeze echoed through the house as Rin doubled over, the Kleenex to her nose capturing any remnants of her sickness before she blew, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she threw the napkin in the garbage, her nose still sniffing and red as her hands were washed with thoroughness.

"Mommy?"

The young woman turned to the sound of her son, her feet moving across the tiles to scoop out the scrambled eggs on her son's toast.

"Hmm? What is it sweetie?"

"Are you okay?" Akihiko asked, his eyes still on his mother as she slipped the pan into the sink.

"Mommy's just a little sick," Rin admitted as she drizzled honey into her tea, "it's just a cold."

"Like what I get sometimes?"

"That's right," the young woman nodded, her throat still scratchy and raw, "just like when you get one."

"So mommy should stay in bed then," the boy practically informed her, the serious look on his face almost enough to make Rin laugh, "and mommy should eat soup and sleep," he suddenly lit up, "and I can take care of mommy! Like when mommy takes care of me!"

His mother actually laughed at his words, the laughter turning to coughing for a brief moment.

"I don't think so honey," Rin murmured, "it's not that I don't want your help, I think it's very sweet of you, but I don't want you to get sick too."

"But-"

"I'll be okay," his mother promised softly, "but I can't run around with you today."

"But if mommy's sick-"

"Mommy needs to take care of _you_, not the other way around," Rin smiled kindly, her slightly aching body standing to pat her child's head, "but, mostly I need a lot of rest and a quiet day," she looked down at her son, "would you rather spend time with InuYasha or Kagome today?"

"Y-You don't want me here!?"

"No, of course not!" the young woman told him, her heart hammering at his pouting lip and almost tearful eyes, "I just don't want you to get sick is all. And I'm not going to be a lot of fun today since I'll be resting so, if _you _want, I'll call someone to take care of you for today, okay?"

"Okay…" the boy looked towards his breakfast, his fork fiddling with his breakfast as he thought of his day, his mother's actions seemingly sluggish and slightly pained. "Um… mommy?"

"Hm?"

The boy swallowed thickly, "could I um… could I see someone today?"

* * *

"Morning Akihiko!"

Rin watched with a soft smile on her lips as her boy bounded over to his uncle, the boy's backpack filled and his coat over his body.

"Hello InuYasha," the young woman murmured from behind her son, her hands reaching to touch the boy's shoulders, "will you be okay with this Akihiko?"

"Uh-huh," the boy nodded, "you said you want a quiet day and I wanna play but you gotta sleep and-"

"Okay okay," Rin laughed lightly, her throat still raw, "and are _you _okay with this InuYasha? It _is _quarter end."

"It's fine," the half-demon brushed off, "I handle most of the marketing, not the finances. Kagome's the one who's busy, she's rushing around with our kid in her checking up on her patients."

"If you're sure-"

"I am," InuYasha grinned, "now, off to bed and don't worry about us, we're gonna have _fun_!"

"Just bring him back in one piece by five," Rin murmured, his lips lowering to kiss the crown of white hair on her son, "and _you _behave for him, okay?"

"Kay mommy," Akihiko smiled, "feel better kay?"

"I will," his mother smiled, "a lot of rest, bit of work, and I'll be back on my feet by dinner time."

Her son nodded as he waved to her while the two of them slipped out the door, Rin sighing as she turned to the couch, her hands reaching to pull her work towards her, her heart slightly thankful for the extra help, her memories reminiscent of when her son was a wailing infant, the stress from everything making the young woman cry herself from the frustration. Rin grimaced slightly at the memory of calling Kaede up, her own sobbing self letting her foster mother calm her infant to a deep sleep before she was tended to, her confession and worry that she could not do this on her own spilling out of her like her tears.

"Oh Akihiko," Rin murmured, "what are we going to do?"

* * *

"So Akihiko," InuYasha started as he let the kid into his home, "did you have fun at the park with me?"

"Course!" the boy grinned, "but hide and go seek is never really all that much fun…"

"Kinda sucks when you got a nose like a dog," the elder smirked while the boy giggled, "I was always the _best _at it, but it gets _real _boring."

"Yeah," the younger laughed, his little body lifted to the bar stool surrounding InuYasha's kitchen island.

"Want something to drink?" his uncle asked him, "preferably something with _less _sugar then the crepe I got you."

"Kay,' Akihiko nodded vigorously, his body calming slowly from the sugar high of his snack.

His uncle had taken him to a park by his house, the two spending the day playing outdoor games like tag and hide and seek, his uncle buying him a snack of a chocolate banana crepe, the two gabbing and chatting about mainly Akihiko's life, though the one topic the boy wished to question never touched upon until now.

"Uncle Yasha?"

"Hm?" the half-demon turned to the boy, a small smile on his lips as he grabbed the two cups of apple juice, "what is it?"

Akihiko shuffled awkwardly for a moment on his bar stool before he found his words.

"What's a half-breed?"

InuYasha froze for a moment as he looked to the innocent amber eyes, his throat forcing down a lump as he handed the kid his juice.

"Why-uh-why are you asking?"

"Cause," the boy mumbled, his ears drooping slightly, "cause… I got called it from a kid on the playground…"

"Oh," InuYasha sighed, "did-did you tell your mom?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded as he took a sip, "she got this upset look on her face but then she said that it was a deruga-drugat-"

"Do you mean derogatory?" the elder half-demon asked, the boy beside him nodding, "your mom uses big words round you, huh?"

"Mommy says kids aren't dumb," Akihiko mumbled, "we just don't know lots of things so we do dumb things sometimes."

"So… do you know what derogatory means?" InuYasha asked his nephew, the eared head nodding again.

"It means… like, you're being mean to someone, but you're making them seem like they're a lesser person," his nose crinkled slightly, "she tried to tell me what _that _meant, but I still don't understand it…"

"It's tricky for adults too," his uncle murmured softly, "so, your mom told you that is was bad?"

"Kinda," he shook his head, "she said it was a bad word for a half-demon," innocent amber eyes looked towards the elder, "have _you _been called it?"

"Kinda… a little…" InuYasha sighed, "a lot, actually…" he turned to look at the boy, "listen. When you hear someone call you that, or anyone else, go tell your mom, okay?"

"Okay," Akihiko nodded, "but… _why _do people call us that?"

"It's… well," the half-demon looked down at his nephew, "see, a long long time ago, a bunch of demons did a bunch of bad things to humans and, because of this, some humans think that because we're half-demon, we're bad like them-"

"But demon's _aren't _bad," the boy protested, his uncle chuckling softly as he patted the boy's head.

"You're right, they're not," InuYasha murmured, "but some people think they are. On the other hand, some demons, not all but some, think that humans are… weak, cowardly; and that we half-demons, because of our heritage, are weak too."

"So… because of all that… where do we fit in?"

His small body was scooped up by his uncle, the boy nearly spitting out his drink in surprise as he was tucked under the elder's arm, his lips squealing as his legs kicked while he struggled harmlessly and fruitlessly against his elder.

"You and I," his elder started, their drinks taken in his other hand and placed on the coffee table beside the couch he chose to settle on, the boy still laughing and kicking, "fit in," his hands held the boy on his lap, "with the people that love us and accept us."

"You mean… like my mom… and my dad?" Akihiko asked, his bashfulness revealed on his blushing cheeks as he mentioned his father.

"Yeah," InuYasha smiled, his hand patting the other's head, an action the boy would normally detest from anyone save from his mother, though he was slowly becoming use to it from others, "like your mom and your dad and me and Kagome and your grandpa and everyone else you think of as a friend or family."

"Kay," the boy giggled, his eyes turning to the cups on the coffee table, "um, uncle InuYasha?"

"What?"

"Which one's mine?"

The elder half-demon followed the amber gaze to the two cups, embarrassment flushing on his own cheeks.

"Um… oops."

Akihiko burst into a fit of giggles at his uncle's mistake, InuYasha laughing softly before he turned his head to the sound of the approaching car, his nephew doing the same.

"I think your dad's home," InuYasha suggested though he found it to be unnecessary, the boy's face appearing to light up at the sound.

His body lifted off his uncle's lap as his feet pattered to the front door, InuYasha watching with a smile as Akihiko ran to his father.

* * *

Sesshomaru sighed as he listened to his client blither on about his concerns and his paranoia, the demon sighing deeply a second time as he stepped into his brother's house, the half-demon practically demanding to see him as soon as he could.

"Yes Mr. Yamada, I understand your worries," the demon started as he shut the door softly behind him, "but as we discussed _this morning_, you needn't be concerned about-"

"Yes I understand _that _Mr. Takashi, but-"

Whatever his concerns were, Sesshomaru didn't listen, his eyes too focused on the little boy calling his name and scampering towards him with a wide grin on his face and his arms outstretched for his father.

"Daddy!" Akihiko laughed as his arms surrounded the demon's legs, "welcome home!"

The demon felt his heart quiver slightly at the words, his eyes looking down at his son, a part of him surprised by the fact that he was not accompanied by his smiling mother.

"Mr. Takashi, are you still there?"

"I-yes I-listen, Mr. Yamada, I'm afraid I need to go."

"Go!? But, wait, what-"

"Something incredibly important has come up," Sesshomaru told the other honestly as he lowered himself down to his knee, "I have to go."

"But-"

"We'll talk in the morning," the demon concluded, his phone shutting off as he turned his full attention to his son, a soft smile on his lips.

"Hi daddy!" the boy giggled, Sesshomaru chuckling softly at the child's exuberance, "welcome back!"

"Thank you," Sesshomaru murmured softly as he brought his child to his chest, the boy safely in his arms as he rose, "when did you get here?"

"'Bout noon," InuYasha interrupted the two of them, "I tried calling you, but your phone's been busy nonstop today-"

"Meetings with China," the demon sighed, his amber eyes turning to the boy's, "so _why _are you here?"

"Mommy got sick today," Akihiko explained, his father's eyebrows rising at the news.

"Is she alright?" Sesshomaru asked as he stepped towards the living room, his son still in his arms.

"It's cold sick," the boy murmured, "like what I get sometimes, and she said she didn't wanna get _me _sick too so she asked me if I wanted to spend the day with uncle Yasha!"

"Uncle, Yasha?" his father repeated, a smirk on his lips as he turned to look at his blushing brother.

"I like that name," the half-demon defended, "what of it?"

"Nothing," Sesshomaru murmured, his attention focused back on his son, "I'm very happy to see you Akihiko, don't get me wrong, but I can't spend a lot of time with you today."

"Why not?" Akihiko whined softly, his ears drooping slightly.

"I have a lot of phone calls to get through this afternoon, so by the time I'm done, it'll be the evening," his finger touched to boy's nose, "and I think your mommy wants you home by then."

His son giggled for a moment at the teasing before he was set down on the ground by his father.

"If you want, you can take him home," InuYasha murmured softly, his face apologetic while Akihiko's looked shocked, "sorry; I promised Rin he'd be home by five for dinner. If we want to get him home, it has to be now."

"But daddy just got back," Akihiko pouted, "can't I stay a little longer?"

"Sorry kiddo," his uncle shrugged his shoulders, "I promised your mom."

"But-"

"It's alright Akihiko," Sesshomaru murmured softly, his own face hiding his own disappointment, "we can make up for it later, okay?"

"How?"

"Well-"

"How about a sleepover!" InuYasha suddenly interrupted, the other two turning to look at him in surprise, Akihiko's face lighting up at the thought.

"Yeah!" the boy suddenly bounced, "can we daddy?"

"I-uh-but-"

"Just for a night," his brother encouraged, "and not right away; maybe in like a week or so when quarter end dies down."

"Well-"

"Please!"

Sesshomaru turned to look at the pouting child, his eyes pleading with his father, the demon sighing before smiling softly.

"If you can get your mother to agree to it, then I will too," the demon promised, his body rising to stand by the now excited boy, "speaking of which, we shouldn't keep her waiting should we; especially not if I want to stop off somewhere for something for your mother."

* * *

Akihikostood outside his door, his hands behind his back with the flowers his father got for his mother hidden, the lie already present on his lips though it tore him up to break his mother's trust.

"Mommy?"

"Akihiko?" Rin started from the kitchen, "you're home already?"

"InuYasha said work came up and he had to drop me off," the boy closed the door behind him, his feet following his mother's voice only to see her bent over papers, her job as an editor giving her the freedom to work from home and care for her boy. "Are you feeling good mommy?"

"Better," the young woman smiled to her son, "I'll start dinner soon, okay?"

"Kay!"

"Now, what do you have behind your back?" Rin asked the boy softly as her red pen moved across the paper while Akihiko fidgeted slightly before he withdrew the bouquet from behind his back.

"I found these on the front door when Kagome brought me home," he explained as he handed them to his mother, the young woman's eyes widening as her jaw slacked, her hands gently taking the flowers from her son, "I think they're for you."

"Oh Akihiko," his mother breathed softly as she turned them over in her hands, "these… these are beautiful… but… who sent them?"

"Dunno," the boy shook his head, "like I said, they were here when I got home and I don't see a card or name, why?"

"Because," Rin swallowed, "these are Calla Lilies," her brown eyes turned to her son, "they're my favorite flower, not many people know that."

"Maybe… Mr. Shen sent them," Akihiko suggested bitterly, hoping to convince his mother that he truly didn't know anything of their origin, "and just got lucky."

"Like you said, they're no card," the delicate hands turned the white flowers around in her hands, "he's incredibly pretentious, if it were his, it would have his name all over them."

"Per-tend-tous?"

"It means that they're very showy and arrogant," her eyes noticed her son's still confused face, "you're just really really confident."

"But…" the boy mumbled as he pieced everything together, "you said being confident _wasn't _a bad thing."

"It's not," Rin explained softly as she looked down at her son, "it's when you start thinking that you're better than everyone that you become arrogant."

The boy nodded as he finally understood, a small smile playing on his lips as he saw his mother absent mindedly stroke the petals.

"Mommy," Akihiko asked quietly, causing his mother to look up at him form the white flowers, "do you like them?"

"I-uh," Rin sighed before she smiled to her son, "yes, yes I do, I like them _very _much."

"So then… you're _not _going to throw them out?"

"I still don't know who they're from," his mother pointed out, "I-I don't want to give anyone the idea that I'm looking for someone."

"But it's supposed to be a secret, right?" the child perked up while his mother sighed, "then, maybe the person just _knows _and just wants you to be happy?"

"I can never get anything past you, can I?" Rin smiled down at him, before she looked over at the flowers, "alright," she conceded, "I'll keep them."

Akihiko bounced lightly on his feet as he cheered, clapping his hands while his mother giggled at his antics, her body standing to retrieve a crystal vase on the top of the kitchen cabinets.

"Mommy," the boy suddenly asked, "why are those flowers your favorite?"

Rin froze slightly at the question, her heart hammering slightly before she took in a deep breath of air and turned to her son.

"Because," she started, taking the flowers and removing them from the gold ribbon, a small cutting knife removing the tips of the ends, "when I was a little girl, my own mother would give me Calla Lilies for my birthday, every year up until she died," the vase was filled with water and two drops of bleach before she took a shuddering breath and pressed on, "then, about fifteen years later, when I met your dad, I came home on my birthday to a beautiful bouquet of Calla Lilies on the kitchen table," misty eyes turned to her son as the flowers were settled in the vase, all but one which she held in her hand, "you're father never knew about what my mother did until that day, he only bought them for me because he said they were as beautiful as me," she smiled, "we were even thinking of naming a baby girl that, _Sayuri_…"

"_You love lilies, huh?"_

_Rin looked up at the demon she was lying on, his arm around her waist while her black locks splayed on his chest, their legs intertwined on the couch they were lounging on, Rin's delicate fingers playing with the petal of the flower._

"_I do," the young woman sniffed quietly, "I'm sorry about the tears."_

"_Don't be," Sesshomaru told her softly, "I understand, it's me who should be apologizing."_

"_You didn't know," Rin whispered as she snuggled closer to him, "I didn't tell you. Besides, I don't hate you for it, I could never."_

"_But now that I do," the demon murmured as he picked one out of the bouquet and gently brushed the petal across the skin of her cheek, "I am prepared to give you them every day until the day I die."_

"_Just my birthday is fine," the young woman confessed, "it makes them all the more special."_

"_Hm," Sesshomaru hummed as he gently kissed the flesh of her cheek where the petal had been, "I'll still give them to you, even when it's not."_

"_If you insist," Rin gigged softly before she twirled the flower in her hand, her nose inhaling the fresh flower's scent, "they're so beautiful, thank you, Sesshomaru."_

"_They are nothing in comparison to you," the demon told her, "but yes, they are beautiful flowers. And," his amber eyes looked towards her, "it would make a lovely name for a baby girl."_

"_You think so?" the young woman asked timidly, his iris looking at her through the corner of his eye, his nose inhaling the scent from the lily as she did._

"_I do," he confessed, "a beautiful name for a beautiful baby girl."_

"_A beautiful baby girl _you _would spoil rotten like a princess," she teased softly while the demon chuckled._

"_I would," he agreed, "I would treat her like the princess born of the queen she would be."_

"_A queen?"_

_His lips hovered over hers for a moment, "yes, to me you are nothing less than a queen, my Rin."_

"Mommy?"

"I'm sorry sweetie," Rin murmured as she wiped her eyes with the back if her wrist, "I-I didn't mean to cry in front of you."

"S'okay," the boy murmured as he hugged her legs, "it's okay mommy."

"Thank you honey," the young woman told him softly as she bent down to hug him tightly to her chest but never hurting him, the lily still in her hand, "thank you so much."

"Mommy," Akihiko started again, "are you sad cause of the flowers?"

"No," Rin told him truthfully, her son held at arm's length as she smiled softly at him, "no, I'm crying because it's… it's a good memory."

"Why?"

"Because," Rin bit her lower lip, "because that was when your father made me happy."

"So," the boy gently started, "does this mean that you… still love my daddy?"

The young woman looked at him in silence while the child fidgeted, her brown eyes darting to the flower in her hand before she sighed softly.

"Yes," she confessed as she stood up, "yes, I think… I still love your father."

Absolute elation flooded through her son before he saw his mother's face, her sadness hidden in her deep chocolate orbs were enough to make his budding face falter.

"So… why are you so sad? You said-"

"I know I said that love is a wonderful thing," Rin told him softly, "and it is, but, see… when you love someone so much and they end up hurting you, that pain stays with you for a long time."

"Why?"

"What would you do if I suddenly started being mean to you?" the young mother asked him, shock falling on her son's face while his ears drooped.

"B-But… wh-why? Wh-What did I do!? Wh-What-"

"Hush," Rin murmured as she bent to her knees to her son once more, the boy held in a comforting hug, "I would never be mean to you, I _can't _be mean to you. It's just a question; would you still love me if I did that?"

"Of-Of course," the boy stammered softly, "you're my mommy."

"Thank you," the young woman smiled at him, "and that's kind of what I feel; even though I got hurt, I still love him, and I think I will _always _love him."

"Mommy," Akihiko started again, burying his face into her shoulder, "is this why you don't talk bout my dad?"

"Yeah," Rin confessed sadly, "it's because I don't know how too. Akihiko," the boy turned his head to his mother, "I promise, once I figured out what to say, I'll answer your every single one of your questions honestly."

"Kay," the boy murmured as guilt washed over him before his memory slipped to the forefront of his mind, "mommy?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"Miss Kagome asked if I wanted to come over to her house this Friday and have a sleepover," his body fidgeted slightly, "can I?"

"You've never been away from me for a whole night," Rin started as she looked at her son, his ears drooping slightly before she smiled at him, "but if you really want to-"

"I do! I really do!"

"Then I'll say okay to it," his mother told him kindly, the boy bouncing on the balls of his feet while his mother laughed softly.

"Thank you Mommy!"

Rin continued to laugh as he boy practically bounced off the kitchen walls, giggling the entire way.

"Oh! And Akihiko…"

The boy looked up from his bouncing to see his mother hand him the lily in her hand, "thank you for the flowers."

* * *

**Wow... for four _thousand _frickin' words, that felt rushed to me... damn...**

**Reviews?**


End file.
